Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire - Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry. Nuclear Activities
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Friday, October 24, 2025
Thursday, October 23, 2025
WNN Daily: In other news: 10/23/2025
In other news
Norwegian nuclear project developer Norsk Kjernekraft and retail and logistics consulting firm Relog AS have entered into a letter of intent to explore cooperation around co-location of industry, logistics and small modular nuclear power plants, as well as opportunities for power purchase agreements for electricity, process heat and surplus heat. The companies will now begin joint land use planning and facilitation for major industrial players with a need for large amounts of clean and stable power. This includes assessment of relevant locations, coordinated infrastructure for electricity and heat, and opportunities for circular utilisation of surplus heat in industrial parks.
South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said the country will soon begin talks with the USA on revising their bilateral nuclear energy pact to gain more flexibility in used fuel reprocessing and uranium enrichment for civilian energy use, Yonhap reported. He made the remarks in a radio interview, referring to the so-called '123 Agreement', under which Korea is allowed very limited used fuel reprocessing and uranium enrichment below 20%, only with US consent. "We operate 26 commercial nuclear reactors. There's no other country with this level of nuclear energy capacity that relies entirely on imported fuel," Cho said during the interview with MBC Radio. He said Seoul has "strongly" called for the need to enrich uranium and reprocess used nuclear fuel based on the industrial standpoint. "That has been accepted, and we plan to begin negotiations soon," he said.
The European Council has given its approval for Switzerland to join EU programmes, such as Horizon Europe, Euratom Research and Training, ITER/Fusion for Energy, Digital Europe, Erasmus+, as well as EU4Health. This agreement regarding Switzerland's association to EU programmes is part of a broader package of bilateral agreements negotiated between the EU and the Swiss Confederation in 2024. It is the first agreement of the package that will be signed and retroactively implemented as of the beginning of this year. The conclusion of the agreement regarding Switzerland's participation in EU programmes is foreseen as part of the wider package only if Switzerland will complete its procedures necessary for the entry into force of the package by the end of 2028.
David Peattie, the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's long-serving CEO, has informed the Board that he will step down in March 2027, after completing what will be ten years in charge of the organisation. The NDA said it has appointed Russell Reynolds Associates to perform a full competitive market search for the new CEO and expects to be able to announce Peattie's replacement in time to allow a comprehensive handover process. The appointment will be made by the Board of the NDA, with the approval of the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, in consultation with Scottish Ministers.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
WNN Daily: In Other News 10/22/2025 - Guest Post
In other news
Canadian uranium exploration and development company Snow Lake Resources Ltd has announced the creation of Kadmos Energy Services LLC, a new US-based nuclear energy company dedicated to the design and deployment of small modular reactors, with an initial focus on light water reactors. Youssef Ballout has been appointed as founding CEO of Kadmos. Snow Lake holds a 49% interest in Kadmos, and has agreed to invest up to USD10 million in the company. "The launch of Kadmos represents a transformational leap forward for Snow Lake - expanding from uranium exploration and development into nuclear power generation and technology development," Snow Lake said. “This strategic step advances Snow Lake’s mission to become an integrated player across the entire nuclear value chain, from uranium mining to reactor deployment." The company’s Pine Ridge uranium project is an exploration stage project located in Wyoming.
An opinion poll conducted in Poland by the DANAE research agency shows that 55% of Choczewo commune residents support the construction of a nuclear power plant in their immediate vicinity. Across Wejherowo County, support for this investment is 62%. More than two-thirds of the county's residents (70%) believe a nuclear power plant is an opportunity for the region. Nearly two in three residents of this region (60%) believe that the nuclear power plant will primarily improve the availability of new jobs. Half of residents hope that the investment will improve the county's infrastructure, including the construction of new roads and railway lines. Nearly the same percentage (45%) mentions the region's overall economic development. In November 2022, the Polish government selected Westinghouse AP1000 reactor technology for construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in the Choczewo municipality in Pomerania in northern Poland.
Nuclear energy and technology company NANO Nuclear Energy Inc has announced the closing of its previously announced acquisition of Global First Power Limited from affiliates of Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation. With this strategic acquisition, NANO Nuclear now directly owns the regulatory licensing application with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to construct a KRONOS MMR Energy System demonstration project at Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario, Canada. The acquisition will allow NANO Nuclear to continue its advance towards submission of the Licence to Prepare Site step of the CNSC’s licensing process. The acquisition follows NANO Nuclear’s acquisition in January from USNC of intellectual property and other rights in the USA and Canada related to the KRONOS MMR microreactor and NANO Nuclear’s portable LOKI MMR microreactor.
HCM II Acquisition Corp - a special-purpose acquisition company - announced that in an extraordinary general meeting held on 20 October, HCM II shareholders voted to approve the previously announced business combination with Terrestrial Energy Inc, a developer of small modular reactors that use its proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor technology. The closing of the business combination is expected to occur on or about 27 October, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions, with trading commencing on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC on 28 October. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will be known as Terrestrial Energy Inc.
World Association of Nuclear Operators hosted the annual Global Chief Nuclear Officers’ Forum in Budapest, Hungary on Monday and Tuesday. The theme was Influencing Industry Sustainability via CNO Strategic Planning and Mutual Support and was a chance for Chief Nuclear Officers to share challenges, discuss solutions and exchange information and best practices with their international counterparts. Naoki Chigusa, WANO CEO, said: "CNOs agreed the next steps members will take with WANO's support to accelerate progress towards operational excellence. The journey towards excellence is never ending and, as an industry, we are committed to continuous improvement. With a great spirit of cooperation to maximise safety and reliability, our members are shaping a positive future by generating low carbon energy for communities worldwide."
Amentum has appointed Loren Jones as Senior Vice President for Energy & Environment-International. Jones was previously Senior Vice President (Operations) for Energy & Environment-International. He began his career with Westinghouse’s nuclear fuels business in the UK, and is also a former board member at Cavendish Nuclear. He joined Amentum in 2022.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
WNN Daily: - In Other News 10/21/2025
In other news
The US National Nuclear Security Administration is furloughing 1,400 federal workers as part of the ongoing government shutdown, Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced during a visit to the Nevada National Security Site yesterday. The Department of Energy has said around 400 federal workers are expected to remain working, along with thousands of NNSA contractors, according to press reports.
The MIT Maritime Consortium has released the Nuclear Ship Safety Handbook, aimed at setting the standard for safe maritime nuclear propulsion. Using research data and standards, combined with operational experiences during civilian maritime nuclear operations, the handbook provides unique insights into potential issues and resolutions in the design efficacy of maritime nuclear operations. The handbook, which is divided into chapters in areas involving the overlapping nuclear and maritime safety design decisions that will be encountered by engineers, is careful to balance technical and practical guidance with policy considerations. The MIT Maritime Consortium, which launched in 2024, brings together the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and maritime industry leaders to explore data-powered strategies to reduce harmful emissions, optimise vessel operations, and support economic priorities.
Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) Upgrade, the UK’s national fusion experiment, has demonstrated multiple world-first breakthroughs during its fourth scientific campaign, the UK Atomic Energy Authority announced. Small magnetic coils have been used to apply a 3D magnetic field and stabilise instabilities known as edge localised modes in a spherical tokamak plasma for the first time. This achievement marks a significant step forward in the development of sustainable fusion energy within spherical tokamaks. In another world first, UKAEA researchers have demonstrated that they can independently control the plasma exhaust in the upper and lower divertors in MAST Upgrade without impacting the performance or density of the plasma in the main chamber of the tokamak. MAST Upgrade also set a record for power injected into its plasma, reaching 3.8 megawatts using neutral beam heating. UKAEA said this milestone supports higher performance plasma scenarios and contributes to the development of power plant-relevant conditions.
Andrew Grove has resigned as Managing Director and CEO of Aura Energy with immediate effect. Executive Chair Philip Mitchell will "assume accountability for day-to-day operational management thereby ensuring continuity, specifically regarding critical current workflows including funding discussions with the US International Development Finance Corporation and potential strategic partners", the company said, with Grove providing "support" to the company for the next six months. Aura's projects include the fully permitted Tiris Uranium Project in Mauritania and the Häggån Polymetallic Project in Sweden, and the company has said it plans to transition from a uranium explorer to a uranium producer.
Monday, October 20, 2025
WNN Daily: In Other News October 20, 2025
In other news
The OPEC Fund for International Development and the International Atomic Energy Agency have signed a new memorandum of understanding to deepen collaboration on sustainable energy and technology solutions that support development and energy security. The agreement was signed by OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi during the 2025 World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, DC. Building on earlier cooperation agreements, the new MoU provides a framework for cooperation on capacity building, policy dialogue and innovation, helping countries diversify energy sources and strengthen resilience. The OPEC Fund said it "seeks to explore how its development financing instruments can complement the IAEA’s technical expertise to unlock investment in safe, reliable and low-carbon energy solutions, including nuclear power".
Engineering consultancy Egis has been appointed to support the UK government’s Nuclear Team in assessing the social and environmental costs and benefits of new nuclear technologies. The appointment to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Nuclear Energy Regulatory Justification Services Framework means Egis is an approved supplier to provide technical advice and expertise in support of the UK’s statutory nuclear justification process. Egis provides a wide range of services to the UK’s nuclear industry, including new build projects, nuclear waste and decommissioning consultancy.
Dedicated nuclear teams have been created at Singapore’s Energy Market Authority and the National Environment Agency following a reorganisation exercise, The Straits Times reported. This comes after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in his Budget 2025 speech in February that the Singapore government would be reorganising itself to place "greater emphasis" on capability-building in nuclear energy. The dedicated nuclear energy team will assess the feasibility of deploying advanced nuclear energy technologies for power generation in Singapore. "These focused efforts by government agencies will help Singapore make an informed decision on the feasibility of nuclear energy," said the two agencies.
Australian uranium company Deep Yellow Ltd announced that John Borshoff will step down from the role of Managing Director and CEO of the company effective 20 October. He will remain with the company as an advisor to ensure a smooth leadership transition process, until the end of November. A search for a replacement Managing Director and CEO for Deep Yellow is at an advanced stage, and a further announcement will be made when this process has concluded, the company said. In the interim, Deep Yellow’s Chief Financial Officer, Craig Barnes, will lead the organisation as Acting CEO.
Sunday, October 19, 2025
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