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The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has received a shipment of used next-generation light water reactor LWR) fuel from a commercial NPP to support research and testing for the first time in two decades. INL said it had received 25 experimental fuel rods irradiated in the reactor core of a commercial reactor. The fuel rods were developed and manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Company with technical assistance from several US national laboratories, including INL.

Date: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsinl-receives-irradiated-next-generation-fuel-for-testing-11473480

Even oil-rich companies of Middle East are eying reactors, as more nations announce plans for SMRs Russian troops occupied the Zaporizhzhia nuclear station, which was damaged by shelling. File photo courtesy IAEA. 2022 was a year of mega milestones for nuclear energy.

Countries around the world turned to nuclear as a reliable low-carbon energy source as they looked for ways to wean themselves off Russian imports and lower carbon emissions.

New plants began operating, deals for small modular reactors were signed and countries announced ambitious plans for new-build.

On the political front, US president Joe Biden signed into law new legislation that will help to finance struggling nuclear reactors and could save dozens from being shut down early. In Europe, the nuclear industry celebrated when members of the European parliament decided to “follow the science” and support legislation which includes nuclear in the bloc’s sustainable finance taxonomy for green investment.

Date: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Original article: nucnet.org/news/five-major-developments-that-are-setting-the-stage-for-2023-and-beyond-1-1-2023

X-energy Reactor Company, a developer of small modular reactors (SMRs) and fuel technology for clean energy generation, and Ares Acquisition Corporation (AAC), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company, have entered into a definitive business combination agreement.

Date: Saturday, 10 December 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsx-energy-joins-forces-with-ares-to-go-public-10422354

The US Department of the Air Force (DAF), in partnership with the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, has released a request for proposal (RFP) for the Eielson Air Force Base Micro-Reactor Pilot Program. “The release of the RFP for the Eielson AFB micro-reactor is a critical next step in furthering the development and deployment of reliable and clean energy technology at Department of the Air Force installations,” said Nancy Balkus, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Infrastructure. “This programme is extremely important to mission assurance and sustainment in the face of climate change and continued national defence threats, and demonstrates the department’s commitment to ensuring our installations have a safe, reliable supply of energy, no matter their location.”

Date: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsus-eielson-air-force-base-embarks-on-micro-reactor-pilot-program-10062945

Seattle-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) has opened its Pilot Fuel Manufacturing (PFM) facility in Oak Ridge, at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). UNSC said the facility is leveraging the region’s specialised workforce to produce the first fuel for testing and qualification for use in the company’s advanced Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) Energy System.

Date: Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsultra-safe-nuclear-corporation-opens-pilot-fuel-manufacturing-facility-9943982

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) has declared open the Pilot Fuel Manufacturing (PFM) facility, which will produce the first fuel for testing and qualification for use in the company's advanced Micro Modular Reactor (MMR). The plant will be the USA's first producer of private-sector TRISO and USNC's patented Fully Ceramic-Microencapsulated - or FCM - fuel.

Date: Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Pilot-TRISO-fuel-manufacturing-plant-opens-in-Tenn

US company to supply test assemblies for French reactors A Westinghouse EnCore nuclear fuel assembly at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the US. Courtesy ORNL. US-based nuclear company Westinghouse has announced a partnership with France’s state power company and nuclear operator EDF to explore EnCore accident tolerant fuel technology for potential deployment across the French nuclear fleet after 2030.

EnCore, developed by Westinghouse, is expected to improve safety and offer operational savings and efficiencies at nuclear power plants.

Westinghouse said it will supply EDF with lead test rod (LTR) assemblies from its fuel production facility in Västerås, Sweden, by 2023.

The initiative includes the licensing, qualification, manufacture, supply and operation of the LTRs one one of EDF’s 1,300-MW nuclear units in France. Westinghouse will carry out a post-irradiation study to verify the features of the fuel under operational conditions.

According to Westinghouse, this will be the largest research and development programme on the improved fuel that the company has carried out in Europe.

Date: Friday, 29 July 2022
Original article: nucnet.org/news/accident-tolerant-fuel-westinghouse-and-edf-to-work-together-on-encore-deployment-in-france

NuScale Power of the USA and Romanian national nuclear company Nuclearelectrica plan to construct a NuScale small modular reactor (SMR) plant in Romania by 2028. The announcement came during a meeting yesterday between US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on the sidelines of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

Date: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/NuScale-SMR-planned-for-Romania

Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) told the US-sponsored Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation’s (P-TECC’s) third ministerial conference in Warsaw, that nuclear power is important to support an emerging new global clean energy economy. However, global reactor capacity would need to increase threefold by 2050 to meet global net-zero emission targets.

Date: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsiea-head-tells-us-sponsored-conference-that-nuclear-is-important-for-climate-mitigation-9128635