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Norway Looks at SMRs: The Norwegian company Norsk Kjernekraft has submitted an application to Norway's Ministry of Energy for an assessment of the construction of a power plant based on multiple SMRs, for a total capacity of 1.5 GW, in the municipality of Øygarden, near Bergen, western Norway. Norsk Kjernekraft plans to develop five SMRs at the site, each with a generating capacity of 300 MW. The project has the potential to generate about 12.5 TWh/year of electricity.
Australia Risks Missing Uranium Boom: Despite holding nearly a third of the world's uranium deposits, Australia allows uranium mining in only two states, limiting its ability to capitalize on rising global demand driven by nuclear energy's role in decarbonization. Miners at the Diggers & Dealers conference urge state governments to lift bans, warning that the nation could miss out on economic benefits and job creation. Environmental and safety concerns persist, but the industry remains hopeful for more approvals, especially with uranium prices still high.
CNL Launches N2ET Program for Advanced Nuclear Technologies: Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) has launched the New Nuclear & Emerging Technologies (N2ET) program to accelerate the commercialization and deployment of innovative technologies. N2ET consolidates CNL's clean energy and health sciences projects, including small modular reactors, fusion energy, and medical isotopes. The program aims to enhance collaboration, direct funding, and leverage CNL's resources to advance next-generation solutions, aligning with Vision 2030, CNL's strategy for environmental restoration, clean energy advancement, and health improvements.
Final Containment Installed for Russian Fast Reactor: The third and final tier of the reactor containment structure has been installed for the BREST-OD-300 lead-cooled fast neutron reactor at the Siberian Chemical Combine site in Seversk, Russia. This milestone completes the 429-tonne, 17-meter-high containment structure, which serves as an additional protective barrier for the reactor. Part of Rosatom's "Breakthrough" project, the BREST-OD-300 reactor aims to demonstrate a closed nuclear fuel cycle and is expected to begin operations in 2026.
China Approves 11 New Reactors: China approved 11 nuclear reactors across five sites, a record amount of permits as the government leans even more heavily on atomic energy to support its push to cut emissions. The total investment for all 11 units will be at least 220 billion yuan ($31 billion), with construction taking about five years. China has more nuclear reactors under construction than any other nation in the world and has approved ten new reactors in each of the last two years. The country is expected to surpass France and the US to be the world's leading nuclear power generator by 2030.
UK Awards £30M for Decommissioning: The United Kingdom's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has awarded contracts totaling £30 million to drive innovation and research into new techniques to deliver safe, sustainable, and cost-effective decommissioning. The seven successful consortia involve over 60 organizations, including established nuclear companies, global cross-sector corporations, UK universities, national laboratories, and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Eswatini Launches Nuclear Energy Initiative: Eswatini, the landlocked country in South Africa, announced the launch of its Country Program Framework in conjunction with the IAEA. The framework seeks to serve as a strategic document that outlines the country's priorities for the next six years, with a particular focus on the application of nuclear technology for social and economic development.
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