All posts tagged: reactors

Four nuclear reactors hit a big milestone in the US

Four nuclear reactors hit a big milestone in the US

Published by skeptic

But achieving criticality doesn’t mean a reactor is ready to provide electricity for the grid (or at all, for that matter). Let’s untangle what this program’s success could mean for nuclear power in the US, and where these companies might go from here. The Reactor Pilot Program essentially opened a special door for prototype reactors to fast-track development. In August, the US Department of Energy selected 11 reactor projects for the program and offered them land and support from the national labs system. These are all microreactors; the large light-water reactors that dominate the grid today are tens or even hundreds of times their size.  Antares Nuclear was the first to achieve criticality, reaching the milestone in June in its Mark-0 test reactor. Reactors from Valar Atomics, Deployable Energy, and Aalo Atomics followed. (Aalo hit the mark in the early hours of July 4—an inspiring example of just barely meeting a deadline.) The speed with which these companies hit this milestone is impressive, especially in an industry known for massive projects that frequently blow past …

War in Iran; Venezuela; ICE; Nuclear reactors : NPR

War in Iran; Venezuela; ICE; Nuclear reactors : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Good morning. You’re reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today’s top stories This weekend, tensions flared between the U.S. and Iran as the two countries exchanged fire while under a ceasefire agreement. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for launching drone and missile strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait yesterday, according to state-run Iranian media. These attempted strikes followed new U.S. military action against Iranian targets. This latest exchange jeopardizes ongoing negotiations for a lasting ceasefire and marks the most significant escalation since the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month. During a tour of the Gulf Arab states last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. and Iran were planning to meet on Monday or Tuesday for technical talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a news conference with his Iraqi counterpart Fouad Hussein after their meeting at the foreign ministry in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, June …

Why China is betting on big nuclear reactors

Why China is betting on big nuclear reactors

Published by skeptic

Meanwhile, the US has built just two reactors in that time—Unit 3 and Unit 4 at Plant Vogtle in Georgia. Smaller reactors are attracting a lot of excitement and investment, though. A microreactor developer just saw its reactor reach criticality in a new Department of Energy pilot program. The world is racing to meet rising electricity demand, and many countries are interested in energy sources, like nuclear power, that don’t come with greenhouse-gas emissions. The key question: Which of these strategies will really pay off in terms of getting electrons on the grid quickly?   Today, the US and France are known as leaders in the nuclear industry. The US has the world’s largest fleet, with France coming in second. France is heavily dependent on nuclear for its grid—about two-thirds of the country’s power comes from nuclear reactors. But they have hardly added any new reactors to their fleets in recent years. The US can point only to Vogtle, and France connected its latest reactor to the grid in December 2024—the first in over 20 years.  …

Belgium eyes nuclear takeover to keep reactors running  – POLITICO

Belgium eyes nuclear takeover to keep reactors running  – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

It comes as the EU doubles down on electrification, renewables and nuclear to reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuel imports, amid rising energy prices caused by the war in Iran. “We must reduce our overdependency on imported fossil fuels and boost our homegrown, affordable, clean energy supply. From renewables to nuclear, in full respect of technology neutrality,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday. Belgium had reversed course on nuclear last year, when its parliament scrapped a planned phase-out.  The move will contribute to the government’s goal of securing around 4 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2040, said Sylvain Cognet-Dauphin, a senior analyst at the S&P Global consultancy. “There are two ways to get to that target: build new nuclear, which takes time, or restart and extend existing units,” Cognet-Dauphin said. “There won’t be a significant lifetime extension or new build without significant government involvement.” Extending the lifetime of aging reactors and restarting recently closed ones entails significant investment and risk. “If you’re a private operator, investing in nuclear assets is billions, even …

NASA Wants to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon

NASA Wants to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon

Published by skeptic

Having demonstrated that it has the operational capability to transport humans safely to the moon and back, the United States is moving on to its next major aim: It wants nuclear reactors in orbit and on the lunar surface by 2030. For such a feat, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration will have to work in conjunction with the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy. In a post on X, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) unveiled a document with new guidelines for federal agencies to establish the space nuclear technology road map for the coming years. This, they say, will ensure “US space superiority.” At present, space instruments use solar power to operate. However, this is considered impractical for more complex purposes. Although technically there is always sunlight, the power is intermittent and almost always requires bulky batteries to store it. Reactors produce fairly continuous energy for years through nuclear fission. They can also be used for so-called nuclear electric propulsion. Continuous output makes them the most viable …

Rolls-Royce 470-Megawatt Nuclear Reactors To Power 3 Million UK Homes For 60 Years

Rolls-Royce 470-Megawatt Nuclear Reactors To Power 3 Million UK Homes For 60 Years

Published by Jenni Sidey

Authored by Mrigakshi Dixit via Interesting Engineering, The UK’s new nuclear approval at Wylfa officially kicks off what the government calls a “golden age” for the nation’s energy sector. Depiction of Rolls-Royce SMR site at Wylfa on Anglesey, North Wales. On April 13, the government approved the development of three Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) at the Wylfa site on Anglesey, North Wales.  This project, a partnership between Rolls-Royce SMR and Great British Energy – Nuclear, aims to advance domestic, low-carbon energy technology. The BBC reported that the three units have a total output capable of powering approximately 3 million homes for over 60 years. If all goes to plan, the first “Made in Britain” SMRs could begin feeding the National Grid in the 2030s.  “This is a critical milestone for Rolls-Royce SMR, for Rolls-Royce and for the UK as the Government looks to realize its ambition of a ‘golden age’ of new nuclear,” said Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO, Rolls-Royce, on April 13. Reviving Wylfa Last November, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed that the coastline of …

UK small modular reactors deal signed with Rolls-Royce

UK small modular reactors deal signed with Rolls-Royce

Published by skeptic

The UK’s push into next-generation nuclear energy has taken a decisive step forward, with Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) formally signing a contract with Rolls-Royce SMR. The agreement marks the official start of detailed design work for the first UK small modular reactors, a cornerstone of the government’s long-term clean energy strategy. Commenting on the landmark deal, Simon Bowen, Chair of Great British Energy – Nuclear, said: “This is an immense moment for the UK nuclear programme, our organisation, and the industry as a whole. “Today represents a true recognition of the efforts made across GBE-N, Rolls-Royce SMR and government to get to this point, and I’m hugely proud of the team for reaching this critical milestone.” A turning point for UK small modular reactors Small modular reactors, often referred to as SMRs, are designed to modernise nuclear power delivery. Unlike traditional large-scale plants, these reactors rely on factory-built components that can be assembled on-site. The result is a more predictable construction process, lower upfront risk, and faster delivery timelines. This contract moves UK …

EU probes State aid for 6 new French nuclear reactors

EU probes State aid for 6 new French nuclear reactors

Published by skeptic

The European Commission has launched a detailed investigation into France’s proposed financial backing for a new generation of French nuclear reactors. The inquiry will examine whether the planned support package, intended to fund six new nuclear reactors, complies with EU State aid rules, particularly in relation to competition and proportionality. Officials stress that opening a formal investigation is procedural in complex cases and does not indicate a predetermined outcome. Scale and timeline of the French nuclear reactors project France formally notified Brussels in late 2025 of its intention to underwrite six reactors with a combined capacity of nearly 10 gigawatts. The units are slated for construction at existing nuclear sites in Penly, Gravelines, and Bugey, with commissioning expected between 2038 and 2044. The total projected cost stands at €72.8bn, placing the initiative among the most significant nuclear infrastructure programmes currently planned in Europe. Each reactor is designed for a 60-year operational lifespan. The project will be delivered by Électricité de France (EDF), which operates France’s nuclear fleet. A dedicated project entity, fully owned by EDF, …

The Download: The Pentagon’s new AI plans, and next-gen nuclear reactors

The Download: The Pentagon’s new AI plans, and next-gen nuclear reactors

Published by skeptic

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. The Pentagon is planning for AI companies to train on classified data, defense official says  The Pentagon plans to set up secure environments for generative AI companies to train military-specific versions of their models on classified data, MIT Technology Review has learned.   AI models like Anthropic’s Claude are already used to answer questions in classified settings, including for analyzing targets in Iran. But allowing them to train on and learn from classified data is a major new development that presents unique security risks.   It would embed sensitive intelligence—like surveillance reports or battlefield assessments—into the models themselves. It would also bring AI firms closer to classified data than ever before. Read the full story.  —James O’Donnell  What do new nuclear reactors mean for waste?  The way the world currently deals with nuclear waste is as creative as it is varied: drown it in water pools, encase it in steel, bury it hundreds of meters underground. But an approaching wave …

What do new nuclear reactors mean for waste?

What do new nuclear reactors mean for waste?

Published by skeptic

On the other hand, some other reactor designs could produce a smaller volume of spent fuel, but that isn’t necessarily a smaller problem. Fast reactors, for example, achieve a higher burn-up, consuming more of the fissile material and extracting more energy from their fuel. That means spent fuel from these reactors typically has a higher concentration of fission products and emits more heat. And that heat could be the killer factor for designing waste solutions.  Spent fuel needs to be kept relatively cool, so it doesn’t melt and release hazardous by-products. Too much heat in a repository could also damage the surrounding rock. “Heat is what really drives how much you can put inside a repository,” says Paul Dickman, a former Department of Energy and NRC official. Some spent fuel could require chemical processing prior to disposal, says Allison MacFarlane, director of the school of public policy and global affairs at the University of British Columbia and a former chair of the NRC. That could add complication and cost. In fast reactors cooled by sodium …