Xudabao 3 vessel passes hydrostatic tests

The reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for unit 3 at the Xudabao nuclear power plant in China’s Liaoning province has successfully completed hydrostatic testing in Russia. The two VVER-1200 reactors that form phase two of the plant – units 3 and 4 – are scheduled to be commissioned in 2027-2028. The hydrostatic test is a comprehensive …

Climate and War Send Nuclear Fuel Orders Surging at Urenco

The world’s second-biggest producer of enriched uranium, the key element used to fuel nuclear reactors, said orders are surging following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and renewed interest in atomic energy as a solution to climate change. Urenco Ltd.’s long-term orders rose more than 10% over the past three months, extending last year’s 24% jump, Chief …

Rooppur Plant: Dhaka, Moscow sign nuclear fuel deal

Bangladesh and Russia yesterday signed a protocol that clears the way for procurement of nuclear fuel for the first unit of the Rooppur nuclear power plant. The nuclear fuel will be supplied by global market leader TVEL Fuel Company, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned nuclear power conglomerate Rosatom. The first shipment from TVEL, which controls …

Major module put in place at Sanmen 4

The largest and heaviest module has been installed at unit 4 of the Sanmen nuclear power plant, the Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute (SNERDI) has announced. Two CAP1000 units – the Chinese version of the AP1000 – are being constructed as Phase II of the plant, in China’s Zhejiang province. The cuboid-shaped CA20 …

Armenia and Russia discuss Armenian 2 operating extension, and new nuclear

Further extending the operating life of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant’s second unit was identified as a priority during a meeting between Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. During the meeting, in Yerevan, the two “agreed on specific steps for the near future, which will allow the re-extension work to …

Westinghouse announces a new small nuclear reactor — a notable step in the industry’s efforts to remake itself

Westinghouse announced the launch of a small version of its flagship AP1000 nuclear reactor on Thursday. The new reactor, called the AP300, aims to be available in 2027, and will generate about a third of the power as the flagship AP1000 reactor, enough to power about 300,000 homes. It’s expected to cost about $1 billion …

Construction begins of third unit at Egypt’s El Dabaa nuclear power plant

First concrete has been poured into the foundation slab marking the start of the main construction phase for unit 3 of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant project, and follows the issuing of a construction licence by the Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority on 29 March. Chairman of Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA), Amged …

Hot Functional Testing completed for Vogtle Unit 4

Georgia Power today announced the completion of hot functional testing for Unit 4 at the Vogtle nuclear expansion project near Waynesboro, Ga. The completion of hot functional testing marks a significant step towards operations and providing customers with a reliable, carbon-free energy source for the next 60 to 80 years. Unit 4 is projected to enter service …

A decommissioned nuclear plant may roar back to life in Michigan

The Palisades Nuclear Generating Station previously supplied 5 percent of Michigan’s electricity. Just months after it was supposedly shut down for good, a Michigan nuclear power plant could come roaring back to life with help from the very company charged with its demolition. According to an AP report published on Wednesday, Holtec Decommissioning International hopes to resurrect the 800 megawatt …