Fuel & operations

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.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has proposed a new rule addressing two key areas: establishing risk-informed criteria for protecting drinking water near uranium in situ recovery (ISR) sites and streamlining the process for extending decommissioning timelines for all licensees.

India's battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity is projected to reach 45-50 GWh by the next financial year, a substantial increase from approximately 1 GWh in the last financial year. This growth is attributed to a robust project pipeline and ongoing policy support.

Bluecore Energy has acquired uranium hexafluoride enriched to 4.95% uranium-235, marking a step toward developing its maritime nuclear energy systems. The uranium is stored at a US nuclear fuel facility. This acquisition supports the company's progress in reactor design and hardware development, moving towards future fueled testing.

Ontario Power Generation has initiated a major refurbishment project at the Pickering nuclear power plant. This project aims to extend the operational life of the facility's four CANDU reactors and support the nuclear supply chain in Ontario.

Caparo Power Limited is expanding its gas-based group captive power business, driven by increasing demand from industrial manufacturers and data centers. The company plans to replicate its Bawal model in other Indian industrial clusters, focusing on northern and western regions. This expansion aims to meet the need for reliable, dispatchable power while navigating fuel price volatility and evolving sustainability requirements.

Hyundai E&C has developed and tested specialized excavation equipment for used nuclear fuel disposal facilities as part of a government-funded R&D project. The equipment, designed for deposition holes, features a foldable cutterhead for repeated use and was verified through full-scale rock excavation in an underground research tunnel.

A new manufacturing process for cryogenically frozen deuterium-tritium fuel layers reduces production cycles from days to hours, lowering costs and regulatory burden for inertial confinement fusion targets.

NTPC Ltd. has terminated a ₹413.37 crore contract with GR Infraprojects Ltd. (GRIL) for a 400 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project at its Mouda Super Thermal Power Station. The termination follows GRIL's failure to meet contractual obligations and project progress requirements. NTPC has encashed approximately ₹91 crore in securities and is re-tendering the project.

Nuclear fuel assemblies manufactured at Russia's Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant have been delivered to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant's second unit and placed in specialised storage, marking a new supply-chain milestone for Bangladesh's first nuclear power project.

The Department of Energy has signed non-binding memorandums of understanding with Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah to explore hosting facilities for integrated nuclear fuel cycle development.

Three generating units at the NTPC Korba power plant in Chhattisgarh have been restored following an electrical fault that caused all seven units to trip. The incident led to a blackout at the facility, which has an installed capacity of approximately 2,600 MW.

The US Department of Energy has extended a conditional loan commitment to Constellation under its new UPRISE initiative, potentially financing up to 80% of eligible uprate costs at nine facilities totalling nearly 1.1 GWe of additional capacity.

The Department of Energy established a new research center in January 2026 to generate performance data on used nuclear fuel storage and transportation, addressing regulatory and operational needs across the U.S. nuclear fleet.

Inox Wind has been awarded a 100 MW turnkey wind project by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), valued at approximately ₹755 crore. This repeat order includes comprehensive project execution, from turbine supply to long-term operations and maintenance.

Thorizon and Urenco have announced a collaboration to develop the fuel cycle for molten salt reactors (MSRs). The partnership will focus on exploring enrichment services, Urenco's role in the molten salt fuel supply chain, and methods to enhance uranium utilization.

Four companies outlined their contributions to uranium enrichment services at the American Nuclear Society's Global 2026 conference, addressing growing demand for low-enriched and high-assay low-enriched uranium.

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.

The Department of Energy’s Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus program is inviting states to explore hosting facilities that could support work across the fuel life cycle, and the department has signed memorandums of understanding with five states to evaluate state-federal partnership options.

Thorizon and TNO have initiated a materials program to validate the structural integrity and operational lifespan of components within Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs). This program aims to provide data for regulatory approval and support the commercial deployment of Thorizon's MSR technology.