Safety and qualification
Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have introduced a structured approach to metallic alloy development aimed at improving material performance under the combined stresses of heat, radiation, and mechanical load inside nuclear reactors.
VTT and Singapore's SNRSI formalised a memorandum of understanding on 30 October, covering reactor technology assessment, safety analysis, and radioactive waste management, as Singapore advances a broader programme to develop independent nuclear expertise.
Last Energy, Radiant, and Antares each advanced through key Department of Energy authorization steps during October, with two companies receiving documented safety analyses for their first reactors and one securing a nuclear safety design agreement for a second project.
The US Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has selected eight recipients under its HORNIG programme, committing funds to develop transuranic-bearing fuels for advanced and Gen IV reactors with the aim of shortening qualification timelines and strengthening domestic fuel supply chains.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued its Final Safety Evaluation Report for X-energy's Xe-100 HTGR, clearing a key licensing hurdle for the proposed Long Mott Generating Station in Texas and setting regulatory precedents for future deployments.
Framatome has inaugurated a EUR 30 million pilot facility in Paimboeuf, France, to apply chromium coatings to zirconium alloy cladding tubes for nuclear fuel assemblies, with industrial qualification targeted by end-2026 and series production planned for early 2027.
The Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal has sharply narrowed its investigation zone for a permanent high-level radioactive waste repository, reducing the area under active consideration from roughly one quarter of Germany's total land surface to less than 5% within a single year.
South Korea's nuclear regulator has granted operating licence extensions to Kori units 3 and 4, clearing the way for Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power to restart both Westinghouse pressurised water reactors in the first half of 2027 following a four-year safety review.
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A Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) report has indicated that employees in the supply chain and quality assurance departments at the Palisades nuclear plant may be reluctant to report safety concerns due to fear of retaliation. The findings, released in a report on Tuesday, follow a July inspection of the plant in Covert, Michigan, which is undergoing efforts to become the first U.S. nuclear power plant to restart after shutdown.
The MARVEL microreactor project has reached significant milestones, including the delivery of its primary coolant system and federal safety approval, as it prepares for initial startup tests.
The American Nuclear Society will host a free Supplier Showcase webinar on September 16, focusing on strategies for modernizing safety instrumentation and control (I&C) systems in the nuclear industry. The session will cover practical approaches for both analog and digital systems.