It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Chernobyl could face 'catastrophic' collapse as repairs stall following Russian drone strike
Damage following a Russian drone attack to the protective shell surrounding the remains of a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky
Failure to repair the protective structure around the nuclear site could unleash 'highly radioactive dust' that 'does not recognise borders', experts warn.
A potential collapse of the internal radiation shelter at the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine could risk a release of radioactivity into the environment, Greenpeace warned on Tuesday (14 April)
It comes just days before the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, which remains the world's worst nuclear disaster. On 26 April 1986, while Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, a reactor at the plant exploded, contaminating a vast area spanning Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.
Following the disaster, an inner steel-and-concrete structure, known as the sarcophagus, was hastily built around the destroyed reactor to prevent further radiation leaks.
Years later in November 2016, a high-tech metal dome called the New Safe Confinement (NSC) structure was built, at a cost of €1.5 billion, to reinforce the inner shell.
Rela
Why are experts concerned about Chernobyl?
Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russia of targeting the power plant since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, including last year, when a Russian drone struck the outer shell in February.
While the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) initially had not reported any radiation leaks, in December it confirmed that the drone impact had degraded the steel structure and that it no longer blocked radiation.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that an inspection "confirmed that the [protective structure] had lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability, but also found that there was no permanent damage to its load-bearing structures or monitoring systems."
Grossi added that while some repairs had taken place, "comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety".
Chernobyl requires an estimated €500 million in repairs
Last month, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot estimated the dome required almost €500 million in repairs
"We presented this evening the first financial estimate of the damage caused by this drone which amounts to around €500 million," said Barrot after chairing a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in March.
Greenpeace reported that despite some repair efforts, the protective shield has not yet been fully restored. The organisation warned that this increases the risk of radioactivity release, especially in the case of a collapse of the internal structure.
"That would be catastrophic because there's four tonnes of dust, highly radioactive dust, fuel pellets, enormous amounts of radioactivity inside the sarcophagus," senior nuclear specialist for Greenpeace Ukraine, Shaun Burnie, told media agency AFP earlier this month.
"And because the New Safe Confinement cannot be repaired at the moment, it cannot function as it was designed, there's a possibility of radioactive releases," Burnie added.
'Radioactive particles do not recognise borders'
The deconstruction of unstable elements of the inner shell is crucial to prevent an uncontrolled collapse, Greenpeace said, but further works to the site have been impeded by Russia's ongoing attacks.
In addition to Greenpeace's warning, the power plant's director Sergiy Tarakanov has also warned that if a rocket were to land near the facility, the structure could be at risk of collapsing due to the impact.
"And from what the 1986 accident showed us...the radioactive particles do not recognise borders," Tarakanov added.
Legislation lifting a long-standing nuclear moratorium has been signed in New Jersey; legislation to incentivise nuclear construction has been signed in Kentucky; and in Texas, applications have opened for USD350 million of funding appropriated by the state to boost advanced nuclear construction.
Governor Mikie Sherrill signs the New Jersey legislation at the Salem nuclear power plant (Image: Office of Governor/Tim Larsen)
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the legislation to remove the permitting hurdle that has created a de facto moratorium and announced the launch of the state's new Nuclear Task Force after a tour of PSEG's Salem nuclear power plant.
"For costs to come down, we need more energy supply. New Jersey is well-positioned to be a leader in next-generation nuclear energy to help bring that supply, and we are open for business," Sherrill said. "By lifting outdated barriers and bringing together leaders across government, industry, and labour, we're setting the stage for our state to pursue new advanced nuclear power. This will help New Jersey secure a stronger, cleaner, more affordable, and reliable energy future - while keeping the state at the forefront of innovation, job creation, and economic growth."
A nuclear moratorium is a state-imposed ban or restriction on building new nuclear capacity, but how this looks varies from state to state: for example, a state might set conditions related to legislative approvals, voter consent, or waste disposal requirements before construction can begin. According to the US Nuclear Energy Institute, eight US states - California, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont - have long-standing nuclear moratoriums. Connecticut has partially lifted its moratorium, and while New York conditionally lifted its moratorium many years ago a specific moratorium remains in parts of Long Island.
New Jersey's Coastal Area Facility Review Act blocks new permits for the construction and operation of new nuclear energy facilities by requiring an approved method by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for radioactive waste disposal, which New Jersey says is an outdated standard that cannot be met. The new legislation - S3870/A4528 - resolves the issue by allowing the commissioner of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection to approve permits that are "based on safe, NRC-compliant waste storage", removing the de facto moratorium and clearing the path for new nuclear energy development.
The newly formed Nuclear Task Force, co-chaired by Elizabeth Noll, Senior Strategist for Energy at the Office of the Governor, and Christine Guhl-Sadovy, President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, will be organised across five focus areas - Financing, Supply Chains and Technology Development, Workforce Growth and Training, Regulatory and Permitting Framework, and Public Trust and Confidence - with the goal of ensuring that New Jersey is "ready to capture the benefits of new nuclear power, while maintaining the highest standards of public safety and transparency."
Two nuclear power plants - the two-unit Salem and the single-unit Hope Creek, all owned by PSEG - currently provide around 42% of New Jersey's electricity.
Kentucky incentives
Legislation signed by Governor Andy Beshear on 8 April establishes the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority and, under it, the Nuclear Reactor Site Readiness Pilot Program "to facilitate the application for and procurement of early site permits, construction permits, or combined operating licences from the NRC for the siting of new nuclear energy generating facilities".
Beshear said Senate Bill 57 would potentially lead to lower utility rates for Kentuckians over the long term. "Every step makes a difference when it comes to helping our people save their hard-earned dollars," he said.
Kentucky does not currently have any nuclear generation capacity.
Texas funding
Texas has issued a request for applications for USD350 million of funding appropriated to the Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund (TANDF). Applications are being accepted for the TANDF's Advanced Nuclear Construction Reimbursement Program and Project Design and Supply Chain Reimbursement Program.
The fund is under the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office (TANEO), which was established by the Texas legislature to provide strategic leadership for the advanced nuclear industry and associated supply chain industries in Texas and to promote the development of advanced nuclear reactors in the state, amongst other things.
Eligible applicants must be businesses, nonprofit organisations, and governmental entities, including institutions of higher education "that have - or reasonably expect to have - a docketed construction permit or licence application for the project at the NRC on or before 1 December 2026". Applications are due by mid-May.
Production begins at US uranium project
Uranium Energy Corp's Burke Hollow in Texas is the first new in-situ recovery operation to start up in the USA in over a decade.
Burke Hollow (Image: CNW Group/Uranium Energy Corp)
In-situ recovery - or ISR - is a method of mining uranium by dissolving and recovering it via wells. It is also known as in-situ leaching. Ground water fortified with a complexing agent, and often with an oxidant (such as gaseous oxygen), is introduced into the orebody to dissolve the uranium from the sandstone host. The uranium-bearing before being recovered and processed into yellowcake.
Uranium Energy Corp (UEC) has two ISR hub and spoke platforms in South Texas and Wyoming, with a central processing plant as the "hub" with several ISR uranium projects providing "spokes". Production from Burke Hollow will be processed at the company's Hobson Central Processing Plant, which is licensed to produce up to 4 million pounds of uranium per year.
"The startup of Burke Hollow is a significant achievement for UEC, advancing the project from a grassroots discovery in 2012 to production in 2026," UEC President and CEO Amir Adnani said. "With two ISR operations now producing, and our Ludeman ISR project planned for startup in 2027, we are building a scalable, multi-faceted platform supported by the largest uranium resource base in the United States."
According to UEC, Burke Hollow is the largest ISR uranium discovery in the USA in the past decade, with significant long-term development potential: only about half of the property, which covers some 20,000 acres (over 8,000 hectares) has been explored to date. The estimated mineral resource for the project is currently 6,155,000 pounds U3O8 (2,368 tU) in the measured and indicated category, plus 4,883,000 pounds U3O8 of inferred resources.
Production was able to start following the receipt of final approvals from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Craig Wall, UEC's Vice President, Environmental, Health & Safety, Texas said the commission's approval, coming after more than a decade of exploration, permitting and development, "reflects the strength of our technical and operational execution. We appreciate the collaboration and professionalism of the TCEQ throughout the process and look forward to continuing to work with them as the project advances."
UEC's South Texas team will now focus on ramping operations and constructing additional wellfields across the project.
In addition to the largest uranium resource base in the USA, with 12 million pounds per year of uranium production capacity across its Wyoming and South Texas hub-and-spoke ISR operations, UEC also controls extensive land and resource portfolios in Canada's Athabasca Basin, including the Roughrider Project in Saskatchewan. The company is also pursuing domestic refining and conversion capabilities in the USA through its United States Uranium Refining & Conversion Corp subsidiary.
New Korean reactor cleared for start up
South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said it has completed all nine inspections required to be performed prior to the reactor's initial criticality during the pre-operation inspection of Saeul unit 3.
Saeul 3 (Image: KHNP)
In January 2014, the government authorised construction of two APR1400 units as Saeul units 3 and 4 (formerly known as Shin Kori 5 and 6). Construction was originally scheduled to start in September 2014, but was then delayed. The regulator issued a construction licence in June 2016, and site works began immediately. Construction of unit 3 commenced in April 2017. However, following the change in government in June 2017, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) decided to suspend work for three months. In October 2017, a government-organised committee voted 59.5% in favour of resuming construction of the two units. The committee stated that stability of power supply had been cited as a primary reason for the choice in survey responses. In September 2018, construction of unit 4 commenced.
Prior to the delay, commercial operation of the units was due in March 2021 and March 2022, respectively. In late December 2025 the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) issued an operating licence for Saeul 3, with fuel loading and approximately eight months of testing to follow. Commercial operation is expected around August 2026. Saeul 4 is expected to follow in late 2026.
"Since the operating licence was issued last year, the NSSC has been conducting pre-operational inspections (5 stages) on Saeul unit 3," the regulator said. "During this process, inspections were conducted on items that must be performed before criticality, such as nuclear fuel loading inspections and high-temperature functional tests. As a result, it was confirmed that reactor criticality can be safely achieved."
The NSSC said it plans to finally confirm the safety of the unit by conducting follow-up inspections, including power increase tests, from the time Saeul 3 achieves first criticality - a sustained chain reaction - until it enters commercial operation.
Once commercially operational, Saeul 3 will account for about 1.7% of South Korea's total power generation and 37% of Ulsan's electricity demand.
South Korea has four operational APR1400 units - Saeul units 1 and 2 (formerly Shin Kori 3 and 4) and Shin Hanul units 1 and 2, plus the APR1400s under construction as Saeul units 3 and 4. Four APR1400 units have also been built at the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE, which are all now in commercial operation.
Dismantling of reactor channels to begin at second Ignalina unit
With the dismantling of the reactor channels of unit 1 at Lithuania's Ignalina nuclear power plant complete, the country's nuclear regulator has now issued a permit for dismantling and decontamination works on the upper and lower zone equipment of the reactor channels of unit 2.
(Image: Altra)
In accordance with the approved technical design, the steam-water discharge piping at the top of the reactor and the water supply piping at the bottom of the reactor, as well as other related systems and their components, will be dismantled, and initial treatment of radioactive waste will be carried out. The project also includes the dismantling of the fuel channels and the reactor control and safety channels located within the reactor.
Altra - the Lithuanian state-owned company leading the decommissioning of the Ignalina plant - said dismantling work is scheduled to begin at the end of 2026. Until then, the company will carry out preparatory work: installation of engineering systems, testing of remote control equipment, and upgrading and adaption of the radioactive waste management infrastructure to handle the waste generated during this project.
"The dismantling of the reactor channels of the first power unit has been completed, therefore the permit for the second unit paves the way for a consistent continuation of the dismantling process of both reactors," Altra said.
(Image: Altra)
"Nobody in the world has ever dismantled a power plant of this size and radiation contamination," said Altra CEO Linas Baužys. "The transition to the second unit is a significant step forward in implementing the mega-project for decommissioning the Ignalina nuclear power plant. We have dismantled two-thirds of the first reactor with our own forces - the most complex and radiation-hazardous dismantling of the reactor cores remains, for which we will use external contractors. Our experience with the first unit allows us to confidently move on to the dismantling stages of the second unit. We are carrying out some of the work using remote and robotic technologies to ensure the highest safety standards."
The dismantling of unnecessary systems and equipment at the power plant has been carried out since 2010, and the overall dismantling progress has already reached 45.7%, Altra said. It is planned that the final dismantling of the reactors, including the dismantling of the most complex reactor cores, will take place by 2043, and all decommissioning-related work will be completed by 2050, with the final cleaning of the reactor buildings.
This year, Altra also plans to carry out dismantling and decontamination works on the steam drum separators of both power units of the Ignalina plant. There are eight such devices - metal cylinders with a diameter of almost 3 metres and a length of about 30 metres - in both power units of the plant, the total weight of which exceeds 6,000 tonnes. In November 2024, US-based company Amentum was awarded a contract worth an estimated EUR5.5 million (USD6.5 million) to consult for the first-of-a-kind dismantling of steam drum separators at Ignalina units 1 and 2.
Lithuania assumed ownership of the two RBMK-1500 units - light-water, graphite-moderated reactors, similar to those at Chernobyl - in 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It agreed to shut down the Ignalina plant as a condition of its accession to the European Union, with unit 1 shutting down in December 2004 and unit 2 in December 2009. The reactors are expected to be fully decommissioned by 2038, with most of the cost of the decommissioning being funded by the European Union via the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other funds.
ČEZ eyeing 80-year operation of Dukovany units
Czech energy group ČEZ announced it has started a preparatory process to enable the long-term operation of the four reactors at its Dukovany nuclear power plant. It is also considering extending the operation of the two reactors at its Temelín plant.
Dukovany (Image: CEZ)
ČEZ currently operates four VVER-440 units at Dukovany, which began operating between 1985 and 1987. Their output has gradually been increased from the original 440 MWe to 512 MWe through extensive modernisations. Ongoing modernisation work aims to ensure the units can operate for at least 60 years, to 2045-2047.
A CZK407 billion (USD19.6 billion) contract was signed with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power last year for two of its APR1000 reactors near the existing Dukovany units. The aim is to start construction in 2029. Two more units at the Temelín plant are also being considered. There are also developing plans for small modular reactors in the country.
"We have planned to operate our nuclear power plants for about 60 years so far and we are convinced every day that they are in excellent condition," said ČEZ CEO Daniel Beneš. "Current economic and safety analyses confirm that it will be possible to operate Dukovany for longer. Eighty-year operation is becoming a trend in the world, and a number of units have already been licensed for 80 years of operation. We see this as realistic for us as well, provided of course that the condition of the equipment and the safety of operation are regularly evaluated. Of course, this will not affect the project to build a new nuclear power plant at Dukovany and other small modular reactors. Electricity consumption will grow rapidly, and the Czech Republic will need as much emission-free electricity as possible."
ČEZ said it regularly evaluates the future operation of its nuclear power plants using a technology and financial model, which assesses the technical condition of key components and the expected development of electricity prices and other inputs. "These analyses also indicate that the long-term operation of the Dukovany nuclear power plant is very well feasible," it said.
"Every year we evaluate the conditions for further operation in great detail, and all key decisions are supervised by the State Office for Nuclear Safety," said Bohdan Zronek, Director of ČEZ's nuclear energy division. "In ten-year cycles, our nuclear power plants undergo detailed and demanding 'periodic safety assessments'. Rigorous preparation and perfect knowledge of the condition of the plant is a prerequisite for any decision."
The company noted that 80 years of operation encompasses extensive capital projects and upgrade programmes. These include, for example, the renewal of some elements of the engine rooms - generators as well as other large units, the reconstruction of selected piping routes, valves and electrical elements as well as the gradual introduction of new control and safety systems.
ČEZ said the extended operation of the Dukovany plant "is a step that significantly strengthens the energy security of the Czech Republic and confirms ČEZ's long-term strategy as a stable and reliable supplier of low-emission electricity, even in times of dynamic changes on the energy market."
The company said analyses are now being carried out on the potential extension of the Temelín plant's operation. Two VVER-1000 units are in operation at Temelín, which came into operation in 2000 and 2002. The capacity of the two units has increased from the original 1,000 MWe per unit to 1,086 MWe.
(Image: Ministry of Industry and Trade)
At a press conference to announce the possible extension of the operation of the Dukovany units, Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček said: "We must decide on future energy sources at the same time as how long we can safely and effectively operate the existing ones, especially nuclear units. The operation of Dukovany for up to 80 years is not a replacement for new units, but their logical addition within the framework of the Czech energy strategy. The Czech Republic has extraordinary know-how in nuclear energy and we can operate our power plants safely, efficiently and with a high degree of reliability. Therefore, it makes sense to prepare for the long-term operation of Dukovany up to the 80-year mark. At the same time, however, this does not change the need to continue the construction of new nuclear sources and the preparation of small modular reactors, because the Czech Republic will need stable, safe and competitive electricity in the maximum possible volume."
Štěpán Kochánek, Chairman of the State Office for Nuclear Safety, added: "The service life of nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic is not strictly limited to a specific number of years. Simply put, it is governed by the condition of safety-relevant components. Extension of operation is possible only if the operator proves that the facility meets all safety requirements, has managed the aging management of the facility and the technical condition corresponds to current standards, and at the same time has the necessary personnel resources to ensure continued operation. We will always assess every step and every submitted assessment very strictly and in detail."
First criticality for Indian fast breeder reactor
The initiation of a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction at the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor sees India move into the second stage of a three-stage nuclear programme which ultimately aims to achieve a closed fuel cycle using the country's abundant thorium.
Celebrating initial criticality at PFBR (Image: BHAVINI)
The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalkpakkam in Tamil Nadu attained first criticality on 6 April at 08:25 pm, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) announced, with the milestone marking "a significant step toward strengthening India's long-term energy security and advancing its indigenous nuclear technology capabilities."
The PFBR technology was designed and developed by the DAE's Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR). The reactor was built and commissioned by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), a government enterprise under the DAE. Construction began in 2004, with an original expected completion date of 2010. India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board officially granted permission for the First Approach to Criticality - including the loading of fuel into the reactor core and the start of low power physics experiments - in mid-2024. Last August, Minister of State Jitendra Singh told India's parliament that delays in completion of the project had been mainly due to "first-of-a-kind technological issues" during the commissioning process.
The attainment of first criticality "follows the successful completion of all stipulated safety requirements, with clearance granted by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) after rigorous review," BHAVINI said.
"Today, India takes a defining step in its civil nuclear journey, advancing the second stage of its nuclear programme," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on social media, adding that the PFBR "reflects the depth of our scientific capability and the strength of our engineering enterprise. It is a decisive step towards harnessing our vast thorium reserves in the third stage of the programme. A proud moment for India."
The PFBR uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide, or MOX, fuel surrounded by a 'blanket' of uranium-238, which, through neutron absorption, is converted into fissile plutonium-239. This enables the reactor to generate more fuel than it consumes - it 'breeds' fuel. The PFBR is also designed to use thorium-232 in the blanket, which can be transmuted into fissile uranium-233.
"This unique capability significantly enhances the utilisation of nuclear fuel resources and enables the country to extract far greater energy from its limited uranium reserves while also preparing for large-scale use of thorium in the future," BHAVINI said. The fast breeder programme "strengthens strategic capabilities in nuclear fuel cycle technologies, advanced materials, reactor physics and large-scale engineering," and the knowledge and infrastructure developed through the programme "will support future reactor designs and next-generation nuclear technologies".
Fast breeder reactors form the second stage of India's three-stage nuclear programme, using plutonium recovered from the reprocessing of used fuel from the pressurised heavy water and light water reactors that form the first stage of the programme. The third stage envisages using advanced heavy water reactors to burn thorium-plutonium fuels and breed fissile uranium-233, achieving a thorium-based closed nuclear fuel cycle.
According to World Nuclear Association information, some 20 fast neutron reactors, including some that have supplied electricity commercially, have operated around the world since the 1950s - although not all have been breeders.
India currently has about 7,900 MW of nuclear generation from 24 operable nuclear power plants, and is planning a large expansion of its nuclear capacity. The country says that 17 nuclear power reactors with a total of 13,100 MW capacity are either under construction (7) or under pre-project activities (10). It is aiming to reach a nuclear energy capacity of about 100 GW by 2047 as part of its Viksit Bharat development strategy.
EDF, NTPC sign MoU to explore new Indian nuclear projects
The non-binding Memorandum of Understanding sees India's largest integrated power utility come together with the French international energy company to explore cooperation in developing new nuclear power projects in India.
(Image: NTPC)
The MoU was signed following approval from Indian ministries and government departments, NTPC said. It establishes a framework for both companies to jointly assess the feasibility and approach for collaboration, including understanding EDF’s EPR technology and its suitability for Indian requirements, exploring opportunities to maximise localisation for large-scale deployment, examining economic and tariff aspects, developing human resource capabilities through training programmes, evaluating potential project sites, and providing technical support as mutually agreed.
"This initiative aligns with NTPC’s strategy to expand into clean, reliable energy and contribute to India’s long-term energy security," NTPC said.
The MoU was signed by Arnada Prasad Samal, CGM (Nuclear Cell), on behalf of NTPC, and Vakisasi Ramany, Senior Vice President, International Nuclear Development, on behalf of EDF.
NTPC is a Public Sector Undertaking under India's Ministry of Power. It currently operates more than 89 GW of installed capacity, with another 32 GW under construction, with a target to reach 149 GW of total capacity by 2032, including 60 GW from renewable energy sources, with a balanced mix of thermal, hydro, solar, and wind power plants, ensuring supply of reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to the country.
Proposals for six EPR units at Jaitapur have long featured in India's energy plans, under the control of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).
Restrictions under Indian law have in the past presented a barrier to the participation of private companies like NTPC in nuclear power projects, but in 2024, the Indian government approved the creation of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd (Ashvini), a joint venture between NPCIL and NTPC, to construct, own and operate nuclear power plants in India. The joint venture is now developing two Indian-designed 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors, Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Nuclear Power Project units 1 and 2, for which excavation works began in late March. The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act 2025 - enacted at the end of last year - opens up India's nuclear sector to participation from private companies, including in plant operations, power generation, equipment manufacturing, and selected activities such as nuclear fuel fabrication.
Study highlights opportunities for Dutch nuclear supply chain
With the Dutch province of Zeeland under consideration as the location of two new nuclear power plants, a new report says local businesses could capture up to EUR4.6 billion (USD5.4 billion) in direct economic value during the 12-year construction period.
(Image: Impuls Zeeland)
The study - conducted by Tractebel and Technopolis and commissioned by the Province of Zeeland, Impuls Zeeland and VNO NCW Brabant Zeeland - outlines how companies in Zeeland, one of the preferred locations for new nuclear reactors, can position themselves within the nuclear supply chain and benefit from future investments.
Conducted between July 2025 and January 2026, the analysis explored prospects primarily for large nuclear new build projects, as well as for small modular reactors (SMRs) and the lifetime extension of the existing Borssele nuclear power plant.
The study identified 130 Zeeland businesses that could potentially supply nuclear projects, mostly as component suppliers and subcontractors. "Opportunities are strongest in construction, infrastructure, and transport & logistics, and during early construction phases and site clearance/landscaping," it says. "As a first estimate, local involvement could account for roughly 15% of total plant costs."
The direct economic potential for the business sector in Zeeland is estimated to be between EUR3.1 and EUR4.6 billion over a 12-year construction period. Direct economic benefits emerge from the direct supply to nuclear power plants, whether under construction or in operation. "The actual order size that can land in Zeeland will strongly depend on various factors, including the technology vendor chosen," the report says. "This estimate should therefore be considered a first estimate based on best available data and assumptions at this stage of the nuclear new-build project in the Netherlands." The indirect economic potential (resulting from regional spending of businesses directly involved in the supply chain and of on-site workers or visitors) for the business sector in Zeeland is estimated to be around EUR1 billion.
"Given the opportunities for Zeeland businesses in the nuclear supply chain, we recommend positioning Zeeland as a hotspot for nuclear energy and actively promoting its businesses in new-build projects," the study says." Stakeholders should be informed about nuclear developments, supply opportunities, and requirements, while businesses should be connected regionally, nationally, and internationally, and regional and national governments should align business support activities. Support should be provided to establish the right ecosystem for Zeeland companies to enter the nuclear domain, including further developing and implementing the proposed roadmap, backed by public and private investments.
"To facilitate this, we recommend establishing the Nuclear Delta platform, a public-private initiative bringing together businesses, government, and education institutions. The Province of Zeeland, Impuls Zeeland and VNO-NCW Brabant-Zeeland can play a part in this as well. Additionally, clear agreements with the national government should be made on conditions for hosting a new nuclear power plant, ensuring maximum economic benefit for regional businesses and reinforcing Zeeland’s ambitions as a nuclear energy hotspot."
The Netherlands currently has one 485 MWe (net) pressurised water reactor at Borssele - operated by EPZ - which has been in operation since 1973 and accounts for about 3% of the country's total electricity generation.
In December 2021, the Netherlands' new coalition government placed nuclear power at the heart of its climate and energy policy. In addition to keeping the Borssele plant in operation for longer, the government also called for the construction of new reactors. Based on preliminary plans, two new reactors will be completed around 2035 and each will have a capacity of 1,000-1,650 MWe. The two reactors would provide 9-13% of the country's electricity production in 2035. The cabinet announced in December 2022 that it currently sees Borssele as the most suitable location for the construction of the new reactors. Three other locations are also being considered for the reactors: the Tweede Maasvlakte near Rotterdam, Terneuzen in Zeeland and Eemshaven in Groningen. A location selection is expected in September of this year. The government is also taking steps to prepare the Netherlands for the possible deployment of SMRs.
Thursday, April 09, 2026
SPACE/COSMOS
Swiss researchers test robot dog designed to speed up Moon and Mars exploration
In recent trials, the dog-like robot completed missions three times faster than human-guided alternatives.
Swiss researchers are testing a semi-autonomous robot that could be used to explore Mars without constant human guidance, speeding up the search for minerals, water, and even traces of ancient life on other worldsor exoplanets.
The four-legged robot, named ANYmal, looks more like a robotic dog than a traditional rover. But strapped to its body is a robotic arm wielding a microscopic imager and a Raman spectrometer — a scanner that can read and identify the chemical fingerprint of a rock.
Researchers at the University of Basel have been putting ANYmal through its paces at their "Marslabor". This is a simulation facility designed to mimic the dusty and rocky surfaces of Mars andthe Moon.
On the left: the robot performing autonomous measurements of a rock with MICRO and Raman. On the right: examples of images from the microscopic imager (MICRO). Credit: Dr Gabriela Ligeza.
The objective set for ANYmal was straightforward: navigate independently, identify rocks of scientific interest, analyse them, and transmit the results — all without human guidance.
In the trials, recently published in Frontiers in Space Technologies, the robot successfully analysed multiple rocks in sequence, identifying gypsum (a soft, sulfate mineral), carbonates, basalts, and lunar-analogue materials such as dunite and anorthosite.
ANYmal completed missions autonomously in just 12 to 23 minutes. A human operator doing the same job took 41 minutes. However, it should be noted that human oversight produced slightly more detailed and marginally higher accuracy.
Current Mars rovers operate under near-constant supervision from Earth, covering only a few hundred metres per day. Employing a robot capable of making its own scientific decisions could dramatically accelerate the pace of exploration.
The study also reinforces that legged robots, which can step over obstacles and adjust to variable terrain, could reach scientifically valuable areas that wheeled rovers cannot.
Taken together, the research points toward a future in which robots like ANYmal are not just tools operated from afar, but active scientific participants, capable of independently hunting for biosignatures, the chemical traces that could indicate ancient life on faraway planets.
Astronomers have identified the most primitive star ever found
New research could lead to insights about the formation of the universe’s first stars
In the exurbs of the Milky Way, near a satellite galaxy called the Large Magellanic Cloud, researchers have discovered the most metal-poor, chemically primitive star ever found, according to new research from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
Findings from the survey are published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Composed primarily of hydrogen and helium and containing less than 0.005% of the metals in the Sun, the chemical makeup of the star SDSS J0715-7334 is the closest analog yet found to the first stars that formed in the universe. Studying this low-mass, ultra-metal-poor star could help clarify astronomers’ ideas about the first generation of stars, called Population III stars, which astronomers cannot observe directly.
“No Population III stars have ever been observed, either because they were massive, lived fast, and died young, or the lowest-mass Population III stars that could persist to the present day are extremely rare. Either way, the properties of this first stellar generation are some of the most important unknowns in modern astrophysics,” said co-author Kevin Schlaufman, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University. Schlaufman originally identified SDSS J0715-7334 as a star of interest in 2014 for follow up as part of the current fifth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. “While this star does not have a primordial composition itself, it is the closest astronomers have ever gotten to the Population III stellar generation on this particular metric.”
SDSS J0715-7334 was formed from a gas cloud that had recently interacted with the material ejected by a Population III star’s supernova. Working backwards, astronomers can use the ratios of the elements in SDSS J0715-7334 to explore the mass of that Population III star and the energy of its supernova explosion.
“These pristine stars are windows into the dawn of stars and galaxies in the universe,” said first author Alexander Ji, an assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at University of Chicago.
A team of astronomers analyzed data gathered with the Magellan Clay Telescope and its high-resolution Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle spectrograph to determine that SDSS J0715-7334 is almost entirely hydrogen and helium with only trace amounts of carbon and iron.
The composition of SDSS J0715-7334 indicates that the Population III star that produced its carbon and iron was both unusually massive and exploded with uncommon vigor, the researchers said.
SDSS J0715-7334 is roughly 80,000 light years away in the vicinity of the Large Magellanic Cloud, the largest of the 100-200 small satellite galaxies that orbit the Milky Way. The Magellanic Clouds have only recently joined the Milky Way, and their long history of living alone has allowed them to ingest material from the cosmic web for a longer period than the Milky Way. Those conditions may have promoted the production of low-metallicity stars like SDSS J0715-7334.
“It's possible that we’re going to find a relatively higher proportion of ultra-metal-poor stars in galaxies like the Magellanic Clouds than in our own Milky Way Galaxy,” said Schlaufman.
As part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the researchers will continue to study the Milky Way’s formation and evolution, with Schlaufman leading an effort to study the oldest stars in the Milky Way.
“There is still lots to be done to understand what actually was going on in that era long, long ago when the Milky Way was young,” Schlaufman said. “We’ve only scratched the surface with this current phase of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.”
Authors include Vedant Chandra from the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Selenna Mejias-Torres, Zhongyuan Zhang, Hillary Diane Andales, Ha Do, Natalie Orrantia, Rithika Tudmilla, Pierre N. Thibodeaux, and Guilherme Limberg from the University of Chicago; Philipp Eitner, and Maria Bergemann from the Max Planck Institute of Astronomy; Keivan Stassun from Vanderbilt University; Madeline Howell, and Jennifer Johnson from The Ohio State University; Jamie Tayar from University of Florida; Andrew Casey and Riley Thai from Monash University; Joleen K. Carlberg from Space Telescope Science Institute; William Cerny from Yale University; José Fernández-Trincado from Universidad Católica del Norte; Keith Hawkins from The University of Texas; Juna Kollmeier from Carnegie Institution for Science; Chervin Laporte from Sorbonne Université; Tadafumi Matsuno from Heidelberg University; Szabolcs Mészáros from Eötvös Loránd University; Sean Morrison from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; David Nidever from Montana State University; Guy Stringfellow from the University of Colorado; and Donald Schneider from The Pennsylvania State University.
A nearly pristine star from the Large Magellanic Cloud
Article Publication Date
8-Apr-2026
Alien Megastructures May Be Physically
Feasible, a New Study Suggests
Ivan Farkas Wed, April 8, 2026
ScienceAlert
(cokada/iStock/Getty Images)
Key takeaways
Alien megastructures capable of harvesting stellar energy or altering star orbits may be physically feasible, according to a recent analysis by Colin McInnes from the University of Glasgow.
These extraterrestrial constructions, such as stellar engines and Dyson bubbles, could remain stable for long periods if designed with specific configurations, potentially radiating distinctive technosignatures for astronomers to detect advanced civilizations.
McInnes' calculations suggest that stellar engines with a ring configuration and Dyson bubbles composed of a vast number of low-mass reflectors could achieve passive stability, offering insights into the search for extraterrestrial intelligence through the study of potential technosignatures.
Alien megastructures built to harvest stellar energy or alter the orbits of stars may be physically feasible, according to a new analysis – satisfying both our sci-fi fancies and our innate yearning to not feel so alone in a large, cold Universe.
What's more, these immense extraterrestrial constructions could remain stable for untold eons in the right configuration.
They might even radiate distinctive technosignatures, allowing astronomers to search for civilizations that have survived long enough to approach the upper echelons of the Kardashev Scale (which ranks civilizations based on their ability to harness energy).
The mind-boggling math underlying the idea is detailed in a recent study by Colin McInnes, an engineering scientist at the University of Glasgow who has previously modeled the feasibility of super-scale astronomical projects aiming to modify planetary orbits, for example.
Now, McInnes presents a simplified blueprint for engineering passively stable megastructures such as stellar engines and Dyson bubbles.
Scientists and science fictionists envision stellar engines as immense, reflective structures gravitationally coupled to a host star. In its simplest form, the concept is a flat disc, although McInnes finds that a ring-supported version may be more stable.
One possible interpretation of a stellar engine around a Sun-like star, to scale, featuring rings of Dyson swarms and a Shkadov thruster, which uses a star's own radiation to shift its orbit. (Vedexent/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0)More
These engines use the pressure exerted by stellar radiation to shift that star's orbit and move entire solar systems across space – perhaps to avoid a civilization-killing cosmic catastrophe.
A Dyson bubble, on the other hand, surrounds a star with a dense swarm of reflectors to harvest its light and provide vastly more energy than any planetary process can provide.
Any civilization that lives long enough will presumably run out of resources or time. As an inconvenient reminder, the Sun will gradually grow brighter and eventually make Earth uninhabitable.
So advanced civilizations will invariably need incomprehensible amounts of energy to terraform other planets, alter the orbits of celestial bodies, or power interstellar travel.
But can the imagined astro-scale megastructures – which astronomers have speculated could be ways advanced civilizations may harness energy – remain stable on their own, without requiring active control measures to keep from plummeting into their stars?
To find out, McInnes developed calculations that treat the megastructures as 3D objects, rather than point masses without dimensions.
These calculations suggest that stellar engines with a uniform mass distribution are always unstable. However, they may remain passively stable if they're made of a reflector supported by a ring that contains most of the structure's mass – picture a tambourine instead of a dinner plate.
Similarly, static Dyson bubbles may be inherently unstable. Yet a Dyson bubble – potentially built from a dismantled planetary system – may achieve passive stability if it's composed of a vast number of low-mass reflectors, forming a cloud that's tenuous yet dense enough to balance its own gravity with the forces exerted by the host star.
"A stellar engine can in principle be stabilized using a ring configuration while a Dyson bubble can in principle be stabilized if a vast number of reflectors are deployed in a dense cloud," McInnes writes.
Long-term stability also suggests the possibility of long-abandoned relic megastructures. The Universe is old and unpredictable, so even advanced beings may be outlived by their creations, which have survived unmaintained as symbols of their creator's ability (or folly).
Though these space ventures may seem otherwordly, McInnes' calculations are based on physical laws, so they offer hints of what to look for in the search for extraterrestrial civilizations.
Stellar megastructures would produce an infrared excess, or unexpected output in infrared wavelengths based on their star's properties, McInnes speculates.
Or, they could cause other types of odd alterations in their host star's spectral fingerprint.
"While such ventures are clearly speculative, understanding the orbital dynamics of ultra-large structures, and in particular the conditions for passive stability, can provide insights into the properties of potential technosignatures in SETI [search for extraterrestrial intelligence] studies," McInnes concludes.
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