Terrestrial Energy Submits Graphite Topical Report to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Advancing Integrated Molten Salt Reactor Licensing Process

Terrestrial Energy, a leading company in fourth-generation molten salt reactor technology, announced on September 10 that it has submitted the Graphite Topical Report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The submission of this report is intended to establish a solid regulatory certification basis for the application of nuclear-grade graphite—a core component of the IMSR core unit—in commercial power plants, marking an important step in the company's commercialization process. The IMSR reactor is a graphite-moderated molten salt reactor. Although graphite has a relatively long history of application in the nuclear power field, regulators require independent performance verification for each specific reactor design to ensure safety and reliability. This submission...

2026-09-16

US and UK Join Forces to Accelerate Commercialization of Fusion Energy

At the Global Fusion Policy Summit held in London on Monday, the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), which operates under the US Department of Energy, signed a joint statement of intent. The two sides plan to establish a partnership called the SUNRISE–STELLAR-AI Federation, integrating the UK's first supercomputer dedicated to fusion research, SUNRISE (funded by the UK government with £45 million), with PPPL's STELLAR-AI supercomputing platform (costing $13 million), to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate fusion energy R&D. The collaboration builds on a memorandum of understanding signed by both parties in June this year and will utilize the UKAEA...

2026-09-16

Westinghouse eVinci Microreactor Achieves Significant Breakthrough in Zero-Power High-Temperature Criticality Test

Westinghouse Electric Company recently announced that its eVinci microreactor achieved a significant breakthrough in a zero-power high-temperature criticality test, successfully achieving criticality at a temperature of 663 degrees Celsius, marking an important milestone in the project's development. This test is an important practice of the build-test-learn development model, providing key data for accelerating subsequent prototype design. The test was conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)'s National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) in Nevada, with active cooperation and support from Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The selection of the test site has sign...

2026-09-16

BlueCore Energy showcases small modular nuclear reactor port deployment plan

Recently, people from various sectors gathered at the Port of Long Beach in southern California, USA, to discuss the application prospects of nuclear energy. The event was hosted by BlueCore Energy and aimed to present to potential investors, partners, and local government the company's plan to deploy small modular nuclear reactors at the Port of Long Beach. Kofi Asante, founder and CEO of BlueCore Energy, provided a detailed introduction to the project's feasibility and safety during a one-hour symposium. He emphasized that the company is committed to advancing the project in a safe, pragmatic, and inclusive manner. The Port of Long Beach is located in southern California, USA...

2026-09-16

U.S. Army Deploys First Commercial Microreactor at Crane Base

The U.S. Army announced that it has ordered the first commercial microreactor for Naval Support Activity Crane in Indiana, marking a significant step in the United States' application of advanced nuclear energy technology. This micro-modular reactor (MMR), owned and operated by a commercial entity, will be installed at the base, becoming the U.S. Navy's first land-based advanced micro-modular reactor and Indiana's first power reactor. Naval Support Activity Crane is positioned by the U.S. Army as one of the leading centers in operational innovation and capability development. The deployment of the microreactor aims to provide reliable, 24-hour uninterrupted power, reducing dependence on the commercial power grid, thereby supporting critical missions in various...

2026-09-16

Nusano Selected for U.S. Nuclear Energy Launch Platform Program to Advance Advanced Nuclear Fuel Production Line

Nusano, Inc., a physics company based in West Valley City, Utah, that has made breakthroughs in radioisotope and nuclear fuel production, has been selected by the U.S. Nuclear Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to participate in the development of a HALEU (high-assay low-enriched uranium) nuclear fuel production line as part of the Nuclear Energy Launch Platform program. The program is a federal government initiative aimed at accelerating innovative nuclear technologies from concept to commercial deployment. Through this program, Nusano will receive authorization process support from the U.S. Department of Energy, expertise from national laboratories, infrastructure, technical resources, and project support, thereby accelerating the development of advanced nuclear technologies...

2026-09-15

Kairos Power Establishes Advanced Nuclear Manufacturing and Prefabrication Center in Tennessee

Recently, Kairos Power announced in Oak Ridge, Tennessee the launch of an initiative called the "Advanced Manufacturing and Prefabrication Nuclear Center" (abbreviated as NuCAMP), aimed at advancing new manufacturing processes and construction technologies toward maturity in the nuclear power sector, while also cultivating a skilled industrial workforce in East Tennessee. The core goal of NuCAMP is to support the future large-scale deployment of advanced nuclear reactors. According to a signed memorandum of understanding, Kairos Power will lead this initiative and collaborate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), Barnard Construction...

2026-09-14

US Fusion Company Commonwealth Fusion Systems Secures $1 Billion Investment from South Korea's Hyundai

Recently, the US nuclear fusion company Commonwealth Fusion Systems, backed by Bill Gates, has secured a $1 billion investment from South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group to build its commercial fusion power plant. Chung Ho-eun, Executive Vice President of Hyundai Motor Group, stated that the plan will enable both parties to explore engineering collaboration on a commercial fusion power plant project called ARC. Fusion energy is expected to play an important role in meeting growing global energy demand while supporting a more sustainable future. As of June this year, this hardware solution has received formal academic confirmation of its physical feasibility. Following a peer-reviewed study, CFS validated the ARC des...

2026-09-14

BWXT Awarded $4 Million Conceptual Design Contract for Y-12 Lithium Processing Facility

Recently, BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT), a nuclear technology, nuclear components, and nuclear fuel manufacturing company headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, announced that it has been awarded the conceptual design contract for the first module of the first lithium processing facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex by the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA). It is understood that the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, is managed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under the U.S. Department of Energy. Its core business...

2026-09-14

U.S. Department of Energy Plans to Invest Up to $2 Billion in Iowa Nuclear Energy Facility

The U.S. Department of Energy stated that it plans to provide up to $2 billion in funding support to nuclear facilities in the Palo area of Iowa to formally launch the nuclear energy project. This commitment was formally proposed after the nuclear energy research working group led by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds completed its related work, marking a substantive step forward for the state in advancing nuclear energy development. It is understood that the main nuclear facility in the Palo area is the Palo Verde Generating Station located in Arizona, United States, situated in Maricopa County, Arizona, approximately 5...

2026-09-14

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

US-based Terrestrial Energy Submits IMSR Graphite Topical Report to Advance Molten Salt Reactor Licensing Preparation

US fourth-generation molten salt nuclear power plant developer Terrestrial Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: IMSR) recently announced that it has submitted a graphite topical report to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The report is intended to provide a regulatory basis for the use of graphite, a key core component of the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR), in commercial power plant operation. Terrestrial Energy CEO Simon Irish stated that this is the second of at least three IMSR topical reports the company plans to submit to the NRC in 2026, and is part of its structured regulatory engagement plan, ultimately...

2026-09-11

US ONE Nuclear Plans Up to 1 GW Small Modular Reactor Project in Louisiana

ONE Nuclear Energy LLC (ONE Nuclear) announced the launch of its Louisiana project portfolio, with a planned total installed capacity of 5 GW, covering dispatchable generation, grid-scale battery energy storage, data center infrastructure, and advanced nuclear development pathways. The portfolio includes the Cayman Project, the Amberjack Project, and the Barracuda Project. Among them, the one directly related to nuclear power is the Amberjack Project, which aims to build a multi-unit small modular reactor station fleet with an installed capacity of up to 1 GW. ONE Nuclear CEO Richard Taylor stated that the Louisiana project portfolio is designed to meet the growing US electricity demand in different but complementary ways...

2026-09-11

US-based Deep Fission Completes Full-Scale Reactor Vessel Deployment and Retrieval Demonstration Using Commercial Drilling Equipment

On September 3, 2026, advanced nuclear energy development company Deep Fission, Inc. (stock ticker: FISN) announced that it had completed a deployment and retrieval demonstration of a full-scale non-nuclear prototype reactor vessel using standard commercial drilling and hoisting equipment. The company is developing a technology pathway that deploys small modular pressurized water reactors in boreholes approximately 1 mile deep underground. In this demonstration, a commercial drilling and hoisting team lowered a 20-foot-long prototype reactor vessel into a 34-inch-diameter, 100-foot-deep borehole, and after completing alignment, retrieved it to the surface. Deep Fission stated that the equipment used in the demonstration was all standard equipment already in commercial...

2026-09-11

U.S. Plans to Deploy Navy's First Shore-Based Advanced Microreactor in Indiana by 2028

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced on September 9, 2026, that it plans to install an advanced nuclear Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) at Naval Weapons Station Crane (NWS Crane) in Indiana no later than September 2028. This is Indiana's first nuclear reactor project for power generation and an early project of the U.S. Department of Defense to advance advanced nuclear energy deployment at military installations. According to the announcement, the project is jointly advanced by the U.S. Army's Janus Program, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and Indiana...

2026-09-10

Czech Temelín Nuclear Power Plant to Load US Nuclear Fuel by Year-End

On September 9, the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant in the southern Czech Republic will begin using nuclear fuel produced by the US company Westinghouse Electric Company (Westinghouse). Czech energy company ČEZ has obtained permission from the Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety to use this type of fuel at the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant. The Temelín Nuclear Power Plant has two units in total. According to the plan, Westinghouse nuclear fuel will be loaded into the reactor core during the outage and maintenance of Unit 1 at the end of this year. The Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant, located in the southeastern Czech Republic, also plans to switch to Westinghouse fuel. Existing Czech nuclear power plants currently use Russian nuclear fuel, supplied by TVEL Fuel Company, a subsidiary of the Russian state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom...

2026-09-10

U.S. Nuclear Power Construction Included as Candidate in South Korea's U.S. Investment Consultations

On September 10, 2026, consultations between South Korea and the United States over a $350 billion U.S. investment plan entered a late stage. In addition to the Encinar gas combined-cycle power project in Texas being regarded as the first investment candidate, the U.S. side is said to have also proposed using a considerable portion of the $200 billion in strategic investment for nuclear power plant construction. According to related information, the U.S. nuclear power construction plan includes up to eight large nuclear reactors, and South Korea's APR1400 reactor design has also been included in discussions for some projects. South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said regarding the nuclear power projects that relevant parties are in consultations, but specific details have not yet been determined. Texas's rapidly growing electricity demand is an important background for the South Korea-U.S. discussions on...

2026-09-10

US Island Roadhouse Discloses Design for Nuclear-Powered AI Data Center Campus in Missouri

On September 9, 2026, Island Roadhouse Data Centers disclosed the design for an integrated, low-water-use, nuclear-powered data center campus it plans to build in Missouri. The campus is planned to operate behind the meter, generating power on-site to meet the electricity demand of artificial intelligence computing loads, and to cool high-density data halls through a closed-loop warm-water liquid cooling and dry heat rejection system, while supplying waste heat to third-party industrial users through a campus thermal network. The design primarily targets the power supply and grid interconnection timeline constraints in AI infrastructure construction. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)...

2026-09-10

US Centrus and Radiant Sign Long-Term HALEU Supply Agreement

On September 9, 2026, US nuclear fuel and services supplier Centrus Energy Corp. (Centrus) and mobile nuclear microreactor developer Radiant announced that the two parties have signed a multi-year definitive contract. Under the agreement, Centrus will supply high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel for Radiant's Kaleidos microreactor to support the deployment of multiple reactors. The agreement stipulates that Centrus will begin delivering HALEU by the end of this decade. The arrangement will add a domestic US fuel source for Radiant as it advances the commercial expansion of the Kaleidos reactor, and will also add a new HALEU customer for Centrus. The agreement also includes Ra...

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