Nuclear Energy Week 37 Summary (September 8-14, 2025)

By Henkypenky in nuclear — Sep 14, 2025

Nuclear Construction and Licensing Developments

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission made significant licensing progress during week 37, accepting Fermi America's partial combined license application for four Westinghouse AP1000 reactors in Texas[1]. The company announced plans for initial public offering while pursuing construction permits for the proposed facility. The NRC confirmed that initial submissions contained sufficient information on reactor design to proceed with the review process[2].

Construction activities progressed at multiple international sites. At China's Haiyang nuclear power plant, the inner containment dome was successfully installed at Unit 4, representing a critical milestone in the construction sequence[2]. The steel containment vessel's uppermost section installation demonstrates continued advancement in China's nuclear construction capabilities using advanced reactor technologies.

Russian nuclear construction continued with key developments at the BREST-OD-300 lead-cooled fast neutron reactor project. Large-sized components for the central cavity metal shell arrived at the construction site, with installation scheduled to commence this month[2]. This advanced reactor design represents significant innovation in fast neutron technology and lead-cooled reactor systems.

ITER Fusion Project Achievements

The ITER project reached major construction milestones with Westinghouse Electric Company signing a $180 million contract for vacuum vessel assembly[3]. This represents the largest industrial contract awarded by ITER Organization and builds upon more than a decade of collaboration between Westinghouse and the international fusion project. The contract involves assembling nine vacuum vessel sectors into a complete toroidal structure, with simultaneous welding to form the circular ring-shaped torus essential for magnetic plasma confinement[3].

ITER completed all components for the world's largest and most powerful pulsed superconducting electromagnet system, including the final sixth module of the Central Solenoid built and tested in the United States[4]. When fully assembled at the ITER site in Southern France, the Central Solenoid will generate magnetic fields strong enough to lift an aircraft carrier, working in tandem with six ring-shaped Poloidal Field magnets to create the "invisible cage" necessary for plasma confinement[4].

The project updated its operational timeline with Start of Research Operation featuring hydrogen and deuterium-deuterium plasmas scheduled for 2036, representing a three-year delay from the 2016 reference schedule[5]. Deuterium-tritium operations are now planned for 2039, reflecting the project's commitment to achieving robust scientific exploitation with complete machine configuration including divertor and blanket shield blocks[5].

69th IAEA General Conference

The 69th IAEA General Conference convened in Vienna from September 15-19, 2025, bringing together representatives from 180 member states to address nuclear policy, safety, and peaceful applications[6][7]. The conference serves as the IAEA's primary policy forum where member states debate and decide on issues shaping the agency's work, including budgets, programs, and strengthening safeguards in conflict zones[6].

Japan's Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Minoru Kiuchi and Permanent Representative Atsushi Kaifu attended as government representatives, with Minister Kiuchi scheduled to deliver statements on nuclear non-proliferation challenges and peaceful nuclear energy promotion[8]. The conference provides opportunities for bilateral meetings between governments and international organizations to exchange opinions on nuclear energy cooperation and challenges[8].

Side events during the conference addressed critical topics including nuclear forensics cooperation, uranium mining sustainability through In-Situ Recovery technology, and Member State Support Programmes for safeguards enhancement[9]. A session on patient radiation doses from fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures highlighted results from IAEA coordinated international studies on tissue reactions and enhanced patient radiation protection recommendations[9].

Small Modular Reactor Progress

The Nuclear Energy Agency released the third edition of its SMR Dashboard, revealing significant progress in small modular reactor development and deployment[10]. The assessment analyzed 74 SMR designs, showing that 51 are involved in pre-licensing or licensing processes across 15 countries, with approximately 85 active discussions between SMR developers and site owners worldwide[10].

Financing progress showed remarkable advancement with an 81% increase in SMR designs securing at least one funding source or announcing funding commitments since the previous edition[10]. NEA Director-General William D. Magwood IV noted that strategic drivers for SMR deployment are intensifying, including rising electricity demand from data centers, energy security imperatives, and national carbon emission reduction goals[10].

Italy-based micro-modular reactor developer Terra Innovatum Srl signed a memorandum of understanding with ATB Riva Calzoni for preparation, development, and production of the SOLO reactor[2]. This partnership between the reactor developer and nuclear component manufacturer demonstrates growing industrial cooperation in advanced reactor technologies and commercial preparation activities.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain

The World Nuclear Fuel Report 2025 confirmed sufficient uranium resources to meet projected nuclear growth through 2040, while emphasizing the critical need for timely investments to bring resources into production[11]. Geopolitical shifts continue influencing fuel market dynamics, necessitating strategic investments to ensure supply security as nuclear capacity expansion accelerates globally[11].

Uranium demand projections indicate a 28% surge by 2030 as nuclear power gains momentum in meeting zero-carbon targets[12]. The report suggests uranium requirements could more than double by 2040, exceeding 150,000 metric tons annually compared to approximately 67,000 tons in 2024[12]. While current mine supply appears sufficient in the near term, potential shortages may emerge after 2030 without adequate investment in production capacity[12].

Market pricing dynamics showed uranium futures above $76 per pound in September, reaching two-month highs amid supply risks and long-term demand projections[13]. Canada's Cameco reduced annual production guidance due to expansion delays, while Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom announced a 10% output cut for next year citing spot market volatility[13]. India's announcement of nuclear capacity targets 13 times current levels by 2047, combined with regulatory loosening for private uranium processing, supports bullish long-term demand scenarios[13].

Advanced Nuclear Waste Management Technologies

Breakthrough developments in nuclear waste utilization emerged with Los Alamos National Laboratory research on converting nuclear waste into tritium for fusion applications[14]. The proposed system employs particle accelerators to bombard nuclear waste, triggering reactions that produce tritium while addressing the isotope's extreme scarcity and $15 million per pound cost[14]. Early calculations suggest a one-gigawatt facility could produce approximately 4.4 pounds of tritium annually, potentially achieving ten times greater efficiency than alternative production methods[14].

Transmutex secured $4.2 million from the US Department of Energy's ARPA-E NEWTON program for nuclear waste transmutation technologies[15]. The Geneva-based company, founded by former CERN physicists, will develop ion source and injection beamline technologies at Los Alamos to enhance reliability for accelerator-driven systems. The project aims to transform long-lived radioactive isotopes into shorter-lived ones, reducing hazardous lifetimes from millions of years to hundreds[15].

UK Nuclear National Laboratory announced breakthrough cancer treatment development using Lead-212 harvested from nuclear waste[16]. The targeted alpha therapy approach utilizes specific chemistry techniques developed in UKNNL's Preston laboratory to extract medical isotopes from spent uranium fuel. This innovation demonstrates dual benefits of nuclear waste utilization: life-saving medical applications and continued productive use of materials previously considered waste[16].

Nuclear Safety and Regulatory Framework

The NRC issued several significant regulatory updates during week 37, including the renewal of Perry Nuclear Power Plant's operating license and advancement of factory-built microreactor policy[1]. The commission also accelerated review processes for the Kemmerer Power Station construction permit and announced reduced hourly rates for advanced nuclear reactor applicants and pre-applicants[1].

Operational safety incidents were managed effectively, with Oconee Nuclear Station Unit 1 declaring an Unusual Event due to reactor coolant system leakage exceeding 25 gallons per minute[17]. The event was terminated after isolating the leak source from letdown filter 1A, with Units 2 and 3 remaining at full power and unaffected by the incident[17]. The prompt response and isolation demonstrate robust safety protocols and containment capabilities.

Deep geologic repository progress continued globally, with Finland's Posiva expecting disposal activities to begin after operating license approval, potentially by end-2025[18]. The development represents culmination of five decades of international research into permanent disposal solutions for long-lived radioactive waste, utilizing natural and engineered barrier systems in stable geologic formations[18].

International Nuclear Cooperation

Kazakhstan finalized nuclear power plant construction agreements with both Russian Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation for separate facilities[19]. The first plant utilizing Russian technology is scheduled for completion by 2035-2036, requiring 10-12 years from design through commissioning. The framework agreement with Atomstroyexport defines key cooperation principles while addressing sanctions-related challenges for component procurement[19].

Uzbekistan advanced its small nuclear power plant project with Russian RITM-200N reactors, beginning construction of the construction and assembly base in Jizzakh region[20]. The project involves six power units with total capacity of 330 MW, implemented under Russian technology with Atomstroyexport as general contractor and local contractor participation[20].

Slovenia's JEK2 project evaluated multiple reactor technologies, with both Westinghouse's AP1000 and EDF's EPR and EPR1200 reactors deemed suitable for the proposed site[2]. This assessment provides the foundation for technology selection decisions as Slovenia advances its nuclear expansion plans to enhance energy security and carbon reduction objectives.

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