Deep earthquakes triggered by the olivine-poirierite transition

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Ehime University

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Left: Recovered sample. Red dashed lines represent faults developed in the sample. Right: poirierite grains formed in a deformed olivine crystal.

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Credit: Tomohiro Ohuchi

Seismicity decreases with depth because elevated confining pressure prevents frictional sliding of faults. However, seismicity tends to increase with depth in the mantle transition zone (depths of 410−600km). It has been believed that pressure-induced phase transitions of olivine in the ‘cold’ subducted slabs is the cause of high seismicity in the mantle transition zone.

The mechanism of deep earthquake has been studied for four decades. It has been considered that the pressure-induced phase transition of olivine induces shear localization to spinel-filled lens, followed by a deep earthquake. This ‘transformational faulting’ model has been experimentally tested by researchers using germanite olivine or mantle olivine. However, the olivine-ringwoodite transition is too sluggish to induce deep earthquakes in the cold core of the deep subducted slabs (600ºC), such as the Mariana slab, if we assume the diffusion-controlled nucleation of ringwoodite on olivine grain boundaries. A plausible explanation for the olivine-ringwoodite transition in the cold deep slabs may be the diffusionless pseudo-martensitic transition (i.e., shear transition) of olivine to ringwoodite. Recent studies showed that an intermediate structure of poirierite needs to be formed when the diffusionless shear transition of olivine-ringwoodite proceeds.

We conducted deformation experiments on metastable olivine under the pressure-temperature conditions of deep subducted slabs. We carefully observed the faulted olivine samples, which were obtained in our experiments, and we found poirierite grains in the fault gouge. The observed crystallographic orientations of poirierite and olivine grains are consistent with a theoretical model. The poirierite grains transform to ringwoodite as a result of shear deformation. Release of quite high latent heat via the poirierite-ringwoodite transition can induce a significant weakening of the fault gouge, without the aid of grain-size-sensitive creep, resulting in the occurrence of faulting. The diffusionless phase transition of olivine to ringwoodite via poirierite is effective not only at high temperatures but at low temperatures. Our findings provide a natural explanation for the cause of high seismicity in the strongly deformed areas of ‘cold’ deep subducted slabs.

Left and center: kinking (i.e., shear deformation) of an olivine crystal at pressures greater than 15 GPa results in the formation of a poirierite crystal. Right: Further shear transition of poirierite to ringwoodite associates a significant latent heat release, resulting in faulting.

Seismicity is high in the strongly deformed areas in the deep subducted slabs. Our model (i.e,. shear transition of olivine to ringwoodite via poirierite) provides a natural explanation for the cause of high seismicity in the strongly deformed areas of deep subducted slabs.

Credit

Tomohiro Ohuchi

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Journal

Science Advances

DOI

10.1126/sciadv.adu5181 

 

Fiber optic cable captures minute slip events deep within Taiwan landslide

Seismological Society of America

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Researchers deploy fiber optic cable in a borehole to monitor landsliding in Lantai in northern Taiwan.

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Credit: Courtesy of Hsin-Hua Huang

Placed within a borehole drilled deep through the layers of a landslide, a fiber optic cable captured tiny, periodic stick-slip events that offer a unique glimpse at the complex movements within the landslide’s shear zone.

At the Lantai site in northern Taiwan, researchers concluded that the timing and pace of these stick-slip events was linked strongly to typhoon rainfall and earthquake shaking, they reported at the 2026 SSA Annual Meeting.

Recurring stick-slip events at the base of a deep-seated landslide like Lantai, where the sliding interface extends to the bedrock, have been detected on a few exceptional occasions using ground-based sensors prior to large failures, said Hsin-Hua Huang of Academia Sinica. In those cases, the stick-slip events were thought to be precursors to a major landsliding event.

“In contrast, our findings suggest that these stick-slip events are persistent rather than episodic—they are simply too minute to be detected by surface instrumentation under normal conditions,” Huang explained. “By leveraging borehole DAS sensing, we can now clearly ‘see them’ and characterize their spatiotemporal patterns for the first time.”

“Continuous monitoring of these repeating events may therefore offer a practical framework for developing accurate landslide early warning systems to mitigate future hazards,” he added.

DAS uses the tiny internal flaws in a long optical fiber as thousands of seismic sensors. An interrogator at one end of the fiber sends laser pulses down the cable that are reflected off the fiber flaws and bounced back to the instrument. When the fiber is disturbed by movement, researchers can examine changes in the reflected pulses to learn more about the resulting seismic waves.

Researchers are using a host of geophysical instruments to monitor the Lantai site, but most of their observations are confined to the ground surface. And compared to other borehole instruments, DAS is easier and less expensive to deploy to the depths where the overburden of rock and soil slides against bedrock.

“These deep interfaces also entail a massive volume of material, and consequently, the resulting damage is catastrophic upon failure,” said Huang.

The research team at Lantai wanted to study the possible interaction between extreme environmental events such as typhoons and changes in the landslide’s structure. When a typhoon alert is issued for the area, the team deploys the DAS interrogator to the Lantai borehole for two weeks to a month.

During five of these DAS deployments, Huang and colleagues captured both accelerated landslide movements and recurring stick-slip events at the soil-bedrock interface, 20 to 30 meters deep.

Rainfall can trigger shallow landslides or debris flows, but “while rainfall is also considered a primary factor driving deep-seated landslides, the correlation is not as direct or immediate due to the depth of the interfaces,” said Huang. “Rather, it involves a complex network of fractures and fluid pathways that evolve dynamically during rainfall and are difficult to predict.”

DAS deployments like the one at Lantai can help scientists analyze how rainfall impacts frictional changes and other landslide mechanics at the landslide shear plane itself, which was “unattainable in the past,” said Huang.

 

Iran war energy shock drives nuclear power plans in Asia and Africa

Copyright AP Photo

By Una Hajdari with AP

Published on 17/04/2026 - EURONEWS

The Iran war has exposed the fragility of global fossil fuel supply chains. Now dozens of countries across Asia and Africa are turning to nuclear power as their answer.

The Iran war's global energy shock is pushing nations in Asia and Africa to boost nuclear power generation and accelerating atomic energy plans in countries that have never had it.

Asia, where most Middle Eastern oil and gas was headed, was hit first and hardest by disruptions to shipping routes — swiftly followed by Africa. The US and Europe are also feeling the pinch as the conflict drives up energy costs.

Countries with nuclear plants are increasing output as they scramble for short-term supplies, while non-nuclear nations are fast-tracking long-term atomic plans to guard against future fossil fuel shocks.

Nuclear power is no quick fix. Developing atomic energy can take decades, especially for newcomers. But long-term commitments made now will likely lock it into countries' future energy mixes, said Joshua Kurlantzick of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Hard-hit Asia advances on nuclear

In Asia, the war is pushing South Korea to increase nuclear output, while Taiwan is debating restarting mothballed reactors. In Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa have all affirmed support for future reactor builds.

Nuclear power harnesses the energy released when an atom's nucleus — such as uranium — splits in a process called fission. Unlike fossil fuels, it does not release carbon dioxide. But it creates potentially dangerous radioactive waste, one reason many countries remain cautious.

The war has accelerated a global "nuclear renaissance," said Rachel Bronson of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, as countries seek an alternative to the risks of fossil fuel markets.

Some 31 countries use nuclear power, which provides about 10% of global electricity, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Another 40 nations are either considering the technology or preparing to build a plant.

In Asia, where energy triage ranges from increased coal use to purchases of Russian crude, countries with nuclear plants are trying to squeeze more from existing reactors.

South Korea is ramping up generation and speeding maintenance at five offline reactors, with restarts planned in May.

Taiwan and Japan are reversing policies that shuttered nuclear sites after the 2011 Fukushima meltdown, triggered when an earthquake and tsunami cut power to the reactors' cooling systems.

Taiwan is considering the years-long process of restarting two reactors — requiring meticulous inspections, safety checks and control system verifications.

In Japan, since the war began, Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has signed a $40 billion (€35bn) reactor deal with the US, a nuclear fuel recycling agreement with France and promised Indonesia nuclear cooperation.

Japan restarted the world's largest nuclear plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, in January.

Renewables make more sense than nuclear for energy affordability and security, according to Michiyo Miyamoto of the US-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

But historically high electricity costs, compounded by the current crisis, are swinging Japanese public opinion toward nuclear, she said

In Bangladesh, the government is racing to bring online new reactors built by Russia's state-owned Rosatom, hoping they will supply the national grid with 300 megawatts by this summer and ease pressure from gas shortfalls.

Vietnam signed a deal with Moscow in March for two Russian-designed reactors.

The Philippines, which recently declared a national energy emergency, is also considering reviving a nuclear plant built after the 1973 oil crisis that was never switched on.

"I hope we learned our lesson," said Alvie Asuncion-Astronomo of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute. The Iran war is "providing a needed push for nuclear".

Relate

Africa voices atomic ambitions

Soaring energy prices and power shortages are fuelling public calls for nuclear cooperation across Africa, where more than 20 of the 54 countries have long-term atomic energy plans under way.

With Africa seen as a growth market, nuclear nations — including the US, Russia, China, France and South Korea — are pitching small modular reactors (SMRs) as a solution to energy shortfalls.

These compact units are cheaper than large-scale plants, but projects can still take years. Kenya plans to bring an SMR online in 2034, having started the first phase in 2009.

"Nuclear energy is no longer a distant aspiration for African countries; it is a strategic necessity," said Justus Wabuyabo of Kenya's Nuclear Power and Energy Agency last month.

At a March summit convened by the IAEA, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Africa will be "one of the most important global markets" for smaller reactors in the years ahead.

SMRs are seen as a solution to the continent's rising electricity demand, weak grids and over-reliance on imported diesel

South Africa, which has the continent's only existing nuclear plants, wants nuclear to rise from around 5% of its energy mix to 16% by 2040.

Loyiso Tyabashe of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation said SMRs could "fulfill our strategic objective of positioning South Africa at the forefront of advanced nuclear technologies".

US and Russia vie for influence

The energy disruptions come as competition for influence in Africa intensifies between Washington and Moscow.

Russia's Rosatom is building Egypt's first reactor and has cooperation agreements with Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Tanzania and Niger, spanning major projects, research centres, uranium processing facilities and training programmes.

While only Kenya and Ghana have joined an American-led modular reactor initiative, Washington is trying to catch up.

The US and South Korea sponsored a nuclear conference in Nairobi last month, where Ryan Taugher of the US State Department said Washington is working with African nations to develop secure civil nuclear reactors rapidly.

Ghana, which aims to begin building a plant in 2027, is in the market for foreign suppliers.

The risks remain

Interest is building, but risks — meltdowns, mismanaged waste and the potential path to nuclear weapons — have not gone away.

Ayumi Fukakusa of advocacy group Friends of the Earth Japan said "nuclear is very risky" and will keep countries reliant on imported fuels such as enriched uranium.

Rex Amancio of the Global Renewables Alliance said governments should stay focused on building out renewables for long-term energy security, given that nuclear sectors take years to develop.

Bronson also warned that nuclear plants are vulnerable during conflicts, citing instances where reactors were targeted during both the Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine war.

"All of this comes into the mix of how we think about energy security," she said.

"Countries are now weighing those kinds of risks against the other risks — which Asia and Africa are seeing first and foremost — about what happens when gas and oil stops."

The Impact of the US/Israel-Iran Crisis on Asia

With a major earthquake, a tsunami will follow and then the full damage. It’s the same with the Iran War. As transmission channels kick in, the energy crisis is morphing into a severe and persistent shock, especially in the Global South.

by Dan Steinbock | Apr 16, 2026 |  Antiwar.com

At the peak of the crisis, oil surged to $110–116/bbl. But it remains volatile at $90–100 after ceasefire pause. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) took an even harder hit. Oil price surged more than 50%, but LNG soared as much as 143% – a 3-year high.

In Asia, supply risk is significant because 20% of global oil and major LNG flows via Hormuz to the region. Here’s the difference between the two sources of the shock. LNG is the binding constraint; oil is volatile but more substitutable.

By April 12, the region is overshadowed by LNG tightness, shipping frictions, foreign exchange pressure and already-locked second quarter damage.

What’s compounding the challenges is that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s brutal military campaign in Lebanon severely strained the fragile US-Iran peace talks, which ended without a final deal on Sunday.

This will further downgrade economic prospects in Asia and the world at large. 

Inflation, industrial slowdown, bottlenecks…           

In energy crises, inflation has always been a dominant transmission channel. A shortage of fuel, electricity and fertilizers means that increased costs for businesses (higher wages, rising shipping costs, higher prices for raw materials) are passed on to consumers across a wide variety of goods and services.

LNG shock tends to result in an industrial slowdown. As prices soar for petrochemicals, plastics, and fertilizers, a major disruption has ensued in Asia, the “world factory.” In this regard, the gas-reliant Japan, Korea and Vietnam are the most exposed.

In shipping and logistics, the Hormuz disruption means higher freight plus insurance expenses, which have resulted in supply chain bottlenecks across Asia.

With foreign exchange and capital flows, oil importers have suffered currency depreciation. As central banks delay rate cuts, tight financial conditions ensue.

Nor is tourism immune to airfare spikes and Middle East airspace disruptions. For now, the impact is moderate. But that could change if the crisis lingers.

Systemic shock                 

The Iran crisis is primarily an oil/LNG and supply chain shock. In East Asia, it is manifested as industrial squeeze. In Southeast Asia, it is reflected by inflation and the foreign exchange squeeze.

Ceasefire relief does not mean normalization. Due to uncertainty, risk premium persists even if prices dip.

The status quo has deteriorated faster than consensus estimates suggest, as evidenced by the Philippines. Not so long ago, the Marcos Jr. government still suggested that the stage was set for 5-6% growth. Now some multilateral institutions have downgraded the country’s GDP growth to 3.6–4.4%.

Across Asia, growth estimates are being recalibrated. Even the IMF signals broad global downgrade and “permanent scarring.” This crisis is a systemic energy shock.

Why the revisions?

First of all, the LNG shock was underestimated. The foreign exchange and inflation feedback loop has proved more challenging than anticipated. Third, the inventory illusion is fading. Finally, March data still reflected pre-shock inventories but demand compression will ensue in April-May.

Downgrades after downgrades            

In Japan and South Korea, the status quo is worse than earlier assumed, due to vulnerability to LNG, petrochemicals and exports.

In Japan, inflation and weak yen have adverse implications. The central bank is reassessing the rate trajectory. South Korea’s GDP growth is likely closer to 1% or below, not 1.5–2%.

As a trade, shipping and refining hub, Singapore remains highly sensitive to freight costs and energy flows. It is facing a large downgrade in percentage terms.

Ever since the first Trump administration, China has been buffered by multiple U.S.-led penalties. But it benefits from Russian energy and diverse policy tools. Though resilient, Beijing must cope with weakening export and industrial demand.

Vietnam is trying to manage its rising supply chain exposure, particularly manufacturing input costs (plastics, chemicals). With lagged effect, the damage is accelerating.

With its very high oil dependence and scarce reserves, Philippines is already facing energy emergency, a currency shock and transport disruptions – amid the greatest corruption debacle and political polarization in decades.

Risk trajectory if war persists               

So, what if the ceasefire fails and the war persists another month?

Oil prices would rebound toward $105–120 as risk premium returns. If the crisis intensifies, they would surge to the $150 territory.

LNG prices would stay elevated and spike further with tight supply. Inflation would surge with a lag in the second and third quarters.

Foreign exchange would suffer further depreciation, especially in Korea (KRW), Philippines (PHP) and Indonesia (IDR). At the same time, supply chains would crumble further with inventories depleted.

Key escalation triggers feature a renewed Hormuz disruption, Qatar LNG outages and crisis expansion to Bab el-Mandeb which would serve as a trade shock multiplier.

According to the IMF, the Iran shock is already affecting 80% of countries. In developing Asia, the crisis could shave off -1.3 percentage points of the GDP growth.

Persistent supply shock

For now, the energy shock remains the largest on record. Downside risks dominate. Growth distributions continue to shift lower. And there are no meaningful upgrades.

As the regional stabilizer, China’s growth hovers around 4.0%, but it is being challenged by weakening exports and softer global demand. Korea and Japan are deteriorating further.

In Southeast Asia, Singapore is taking a hard hit. Malaysia and Indonesia are somewhat buffered. Southeast Asia’s importers are now in a 3-4% growth zone. Philippines is already in emergency.

What the region must cope with now is a persistent supply shock with partial financial relief. Although markets can bounce, the real economy won’t rebound in parallel. Global growth prospects are shifting lower to 2.0-2.4%.

What happens in Asia won’t stay in Asia – neither Europe nor North America is immune to the impending tsunami.

Dr. Dan Steinbock is an internationally recognized visionary of the multipolar world and the founder of Difference Group. He has served at the India, China and America Institute (US), Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Center (Singapore). For more, see https://www.differencegroup.net 

ICYMI

‘Decades in the Making’: Antitrust Advocates Celebrate as Jury Rules Against Live Nation-Ticketmaster

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the verdict “a win for everyone who thinks concert tickets are too damn expensive.”


The Ticketmaster logo is displayed on a smartphone screen in a photo illustration.
(Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Brad Reed
Apr 15, 2026
COMMON DREAMS


Antitrust advocates celebrated on Wednesday after a jury found that Live Nation and is subsidiary Ticketmaster were illegal monopolies who for decades systematically overcharged customers for concert tickets.

As reported by The Associated Press, the verdict against Live Nation and Ticketmaster could cost the two entities “hundreds of millions of dollars, just for the $1.72 per ticket that the jury found Ticketmaster had overcharged consumers in 22 states,” and they could be forced to sell off some of the venues they own.
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The case against Live Nation, which was brought by 33 states and the District of Columbia, was initially led by the US Department of Justice. However, under President Donald Trump, the DOJ last month reached a last-minute settlement with the company that would not require it to be broken up.

The state attorneys general, however, vowed to see the case through and were rewarded with a big verdict in their favor.

New York Attorney General Letitia James celebrated the verdict, describing it as “a landmark victory to protect New Yorkers from harmful monopolies.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison called the verdict “a win for everyone who thinks concert tickets are too damn expensive,” and declared himself “proud to have brought this lawsuit.”

District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb noted Live Nation “has raked in billions in profits from an illegal monopoly that coerces venues, restricts artists, and exploits fans,” and called the verdict “a massive win in the fight for fairness for local venues, artists, and fans.”

Lina Khan, former chair of the Federal Trade Commission under President Joe Biden, hailed the verdict, but said it was just “a key first step towards ending Live Nation’s monopolistic control and securing real relief for those it harmed.”

Lee Hepner, senior legal counsel at the American Economic Liberties Project, said the verdict was “decades in the making,” and he cited iconic Seattle band Pearl Jam’s fight against Ticketmaster in the 1990s to illustrate just how long it’s taken to hold the company accountable.

“Pour one out for Pearl Jam, who testified before Congress in 1993 about Ticketmaster’s abuse of the live concert industry,” he commented.

The Roosevelt Institute took a shot at the Trump DOJ for bailing on the case, and noted the verdict against Live Nation “only happened because state AGs kept pushing after a federal settlement that let the companies off the hook.”

 World Nuclear News

Bruce Power to share large reactor experience with SaskPower

Thursday, 16 April 2026

Bruce Power has signed a memorandum of understanding with SaskPower to share its expertise in nuclear generation, project development, and long-term operations as Saskatchewan evaluates large nuclear technologies for potential use in the Canadian province.
 

The Bruce site in Ontario (Image: Bruce Power)

The provincial government of Saskatchewan and utility SaskPower announced plans in January to formally evaluate large nuclear reactor technologies for use in the province. Saskatchewan already has plans for the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs).
 
In October last year, the Government of Saskatchewan released the Saskatchewan First Energy Security Strategy and Supply Plan, setting out its vision and long-term strategy for electricity in the province. The plan sees the provincial government reiterate its commitments to nuclear power, as communicated in the provincial Growth Plan and the Interprovincial Strategic Plan on Small Modular Reactors. Specifically, it says, the Government of Saskatchewan will continue to examine the feasibility of two SMR units near Estevan, and evaluate the feasibility of large reactors and/or advanced SMRs to meet industry demand for electricity and heat to identify if either can be economically deployed in Saskatchewan.

Crown utility SaskPower has begun the formal process to evaluate large reactor technologies. The technology selection process will take place in parallel with SaskPower's existing SMR project.

The MoU with Bruce Power will "formalise information-sharing, enable alignment on federal and provincial nuclear strategy, and leverage Bruce Power's national leadership in nuclear expertise", Bruce Power said.

The Bruce Power site in Ontario was home to Canada's first commercial reactor, Douglas Point, which operated from 1967 to 1984, and its current fleet of eight Candu pressurised heavy water reactors are being refurbished to operate for several decades to come. Bruce Power is also exploring the option for a Bruce C project and up to 4,800 megawatts of new nuclear on its site. The proposed Bruce C Project is the first new nuclear development in Canada to enter the federal Impact Assessment process.

"We're uniquely positioned to collaborate with SaskPower as it explores new nuclear to power the province with clean energy for the next generation," said James Scongack, Bruce Power's Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice-President. "We will share what we've learned in 25 years of operating the Bruce site and in planning projects and planning for new nuclear."

Rupen Pandya, President and CEO of SaskPower, added: "The growing demands for reliable, baseload power, not just in Saskatchewan, but across the country, reinforce the vital role that nuclear power will play in the years ahead. Power is a key economic driver in Saskatchewan that's needed to advance critical sectors such as mining, oil and gas and agriculture."

Saskatchewan is home to the largest and highest-grade uranium mines in the world, but does not currently have any nuclear power reactors. It is working alongside the provinces of Ontario, New Brunswick and Alberta on the deployment of SMRs under a joint strategic plan released in 2022.

SaskPower has previously selected GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy's BWRX-300 SMR for potential deployment in the province in the mid-2030s. It announced in 2024 that it had identified two potential sites for SMR deployment, both in the Estevan area in the south-east of the province. It also signed a memorandum of understanding with Cameco and Westinghouse to explore technical and commercial pathways to deploy Westinghouse's reactor technology, including the advanced AP1000 reactor and AP300 SMR for long-term electricity supply planning.

"Saskatchewan's Energy Security Strategy sets out a pathway to nuclear power generation from both SMRs and large nuclear reactors to prepare for rising electricity demand and future export opportunities, including electricity and critical minerals such as potash and uranium," Minister Responsible for SaskPower Jeremy Harrison said. "Collaboration is key to ensure we make informed, future-focused decisions that benefit our provinces and our country."

Application lodged to build microreactor at US university

Thursday, 16 April 2026

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced it has received an application from the University of Illinois to construct the first research KRONOS micro modular reactor on the university's campus.
 

A rendering of the KRONOS plant at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Image: NANO Nuclear)

The Construction Permit Application (CPA) was submitted on 31 March by The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, NANO Nuclear Energy Inc's partner for the KRONOS MMR deployment at the University of Illinois (U of I).

"With this submission, NANO Nuclear becomes the first commercially-ready microreactor developer and the third commercially-ready Generation IV advanced reactor developer to submit a CPA, placing NANO Nuclear among a small group of advanced nuclear companies progressing toward commercial deployment," the company said.

It added: "The preparation of a CPA represents the culmination of years of engineering development, thousands of pages of technical documentation, coordinated input across reactor design, safety analysis, environmental review, and regulatory compliance disciplines, and establishment of a viable supply chain. In NANO Nuclear's partnership with the U of I, the CPA submission builds on an extensive body of work developed through continuous engagement with the NRC, including completion of the readiness assessment, a voluntary but highly rigorous process aimed at ensuring a complete and high-quality application. Importantly, this iterative process reflects a high level of alignment with regulatory expectations and provides strong confidence in the application's readiness for acceptance for docketing and formal NRC review."

"The NRC is reviewing the application to determine whether it is complete," the regulator said. "If accepted, the agency will begin a detailed technical evaluation of the reactor's safety and security and publish a notice of opportunity to request an adjudicatory hearing on the application before the NRC's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board."

It noted that if the construction permit is granted, the university would need to submit a separate operating licence application and receive NRC approval before the reactor could begin operation.

NANO Nuclear acquired the Micro Modular Reactor Energy System technology through its USD85 million acquisition of Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation's nuclear technology, which was completed in January last year. At that time, NANO Nuclear renamed the technology as the KRONOS MMR. The MMR is a 45 MW thermal, 15 MW electrical high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, using TRISO fuel in prismatic graphite blocks and has a sealed transportable core.

NANO Nuclear signed a strategic collaboration agreement with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in April 2025 to construct the first research KRONOS micro modular reactor on the university's campus. The agreement formally established the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a partner in the licensing, siting, public engagement, and research operation of the KRONOS MMR, while also identifying the university campus as the permanent site for the reactor as a research and demonstration installation.

The university plans to re-power partially its coal-fired Abbott power station with the KRONOS MMR, providing a zero-carbon demonstration of district heat and power to campus buildings as part of its green campus initiative. The project team aims to demonstrate how microreactor systems integrate with existing fossil fuel infrastructure to accelerate the decarbonisation of existing power-generation facilities.

"Through every step of the process thus far, we at The Grainger College of Engineering have worked diligently alongside our partners at NANO Nuclear Energy to ensure our goals in constructing the first KRONOS MMR on the university's campus can become a reality," said Caleb Brooks, Professor and Donald Biggar Willett Faculty Scholar of Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering. "By submitting the Construction Permit Application to the NRC, we are taking the next step in signifying that the work will be done correctly and precisely. And we continue to look forward to the possibilities of what can become the most advanced nuclear research platform on any US campus."

Growing recognition of nuclear fuel cycle's importance, WNFC hears

By Claire Maden

World Nuclear News, Monte Carlo

Thursday, 16 April 2026

This is a significant time of change for the nuclear energy sector - and existing nuclear capacity is the bedrock for nuclear growth that could be unprecedented, according to nuclear industry leaders at the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2026 conference in Monaco.
 

(Image: World Nuclear Association)

Speakers at the event co-organised by the Nuclear Energy Institute and World Nuclear Association highlighted the challenges and opportunities at a time when geopolitical uncertainty means nuclear energy - underpinned by reliable fuel supplies - is more important than ever.

"Governments all over the world recognise that energy security - and the security of fuel supplies - is more important than ever," World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León said as she opened the conference together with Nuclear Energy Institute Vice President of Technical & Regulatory Services Jennifer Uhle. But she also called for pragmatism.

"Frankly, momentum is building all over the world, over all markets … but much of that progress is still just ambition," Bilbao y León said. 

"This really is a moment that demands much more than technical progress and technical expertise. We need to continue to ensure that policies support long-term investment, we need to ensure that finance is aligned with clean energy policies, and we need to ensure that regulation is proportional and risk-informed. We need to remember that ambition by itself will not deliver new reactors, will not mine new fuel, and won't build the supply chains that we need."

Uhle said this was a moment of profound importance for nuclear energy - and especially in times of geopolitical uncertainty, a stable fuel supply lies at its heart. "Nuclear power doesn't run just on technology, but also on trust: trust that fuel will be delivered on time and this global network will remain reliable," she said.

Director General of the nucleareurope trade association, Emmanuel Brutin, and Framatome Senior Senior Executive Vice President Lionel Gaiffe were in agreement that this is a time of change. A shift in sentiment is being seen in European institutions as well as in some countries, Brutin said, calling for support, particularly in terms of policy backing and finance, to foster this.

Now is a "good time to rediscover merits of nuclear energy", Gaiffe said - and not just in terms of new capacity. Existing reactors provide energy stability, low carbon, and grid stability. Framatome is firstly devoted to providing service to existing reactors. And those reactors need support from a reliable - and sovereign - nuclear fuel supply chain, Gaiffe said. 

Incentives

Brutin also stressed the importance of having a sovereign - and also diversified - nuclear fuel supply chain. Brussels is realising that Europe is still dependent on imported fossil energy - and that is expensive, he said. "The solution for Europe is home-grown, clean sources of energy," he said.

As a net-zero energy source with a value chain that is entirely based in Europe, nuclear is a "huge asset" to the bloc, he said, and several EU-level initiatives are recognising and providing support for this resiliency. The European Investment Bank - a key EU financial institution - has provided significant loans for fuel cycle projects such as the expansion of Orano's Georges Besse II conversion plant, and having EU financing helps attract other investors. "Even a bit of EU money can go a long way," he said.

The REPowerEU plan, which was adopted by the European Commission in 2022, aims to rapidly reduce EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels. The legislation defining the policy is still to be finalised.

But while nuclear generation is recognised as environmentally sustainable under the EU Taxonomy Regulation - legislation aimed at channelling finance flows towards sustainable activities - the nuclear fuel cycle itself is not yet part of the Taxonomy. Ensuring the fuel cycle is in the EU Taxonomy would help to attract investors, he said.

Policy support would incentivise fuel cycle capacity, Gaiffe said, but would need to be balanced and "realistic" to ensure capacity grows at a suitable pace to meet demand and avoid a situation of overcapacity. 

On-time and on-budget delivery remains the main focus for politicians, Brutin said, but building stakeholder trust in projects is an important factor to drive nuclear fuel cycle growth. "There is this new momentum for nuclear - let's use it," he said. 

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa 6 resumes commercial operation

Thursday, 16 April 2026

Unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant has resumed commercial operation, becoming the first reactor owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company to do so since the accident at its Fukushima Daiichi plant.
 

The control room of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa 6 during the comprehensive load performance test (Image: Tepco)

The 1,356 MWe Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) in Japan's Niigata Prefecture, which had been offline since March 2012, was restarted in the evening of 21 January. Tepco aimed to return the reactor to commercial operation on 18 March. However, shortly after midnight on 22 January, "an alarm was triggered in the control rod operation monitoring system for one control rod during the control rod withdrawal operation, causing the withdrawal operation to be suspended". The unit's restart was subsequently suspended while an investigation into the cause of the alarm was carried out.

After replacing parts, the reactor was again restarted on 9 February. It was taken offline between 20 and 24 February for inspections as part of procedures for its full-scale restart. The unit was taken offline again in mid-March after a damaged electric conductor was discovered.

A comprehensive load performance test was carried out on Tuesday, observed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA).

"Today, following the issuance by the Nuclear Regulation Authority of a pre-operational confirmation certificate and a certificate of passing for the pre-operational inspection for Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station Unit 6, Tepco recommenced commercial operation at 4:00pm [local time]," Tepco said.

The seven-unit Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant was unaffected by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that damaged Tepco's Fukushima Daiichi plant, although the plant's reactors were previously all offline for up to three years following the 2007 Niigata-Chuetsu earthquake, which caused damage to the site but did not damage the reactors themselves. While the units were offline, work was carried out to improve the plant's earthquake resistance. All units have remained offline since the Fukushima Daiichi accident.

Although it has worked on the other units at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa site, Tepco is concentrating its resources on units 6 and 7 while it deals with the clean-up at Fukushima Daiichi. These 1,356 MWe ABWRs began commercial operation in 1996 and 1997, respectively, and were the first Japanese boiling water reactors to be put forward for restart. Tepco received permission from the NRA to restart units 6 and 7 in December 2017. Restarting those two Kashiwazaki-Kariwa units - which have been offline for periodic inspections since March 2012 and August 2011, respectively - would increase the company's earnings by an estimated JPY100 billion (USD633 million) per year.

Since the Fukushima Daiichi accident, 14 Japanese reactors have gradually resumed operation.

Bulgarian minister wants fixed price for Kozloduy 7 and 8

Thursday, 16 April 2026

Minister of Energy Traycho Traykov has said Bulgaria wants its proposed new nuclear power units at the Kozloduy plant to be built at fixed prices.
 

(Image: Bulgaria's Ministry of Energy)

Traykov was speaking during a meeting with South Korea's Ambassador to Bulgaria, Dong-bae Kim, and representatives from Hyundai Engineering and Construction, which included a discussion on progress.

According to the Ministry of Energy report, Traykov "welcomed the commitment of the Korean side to assign 30% of the activities to Bulgarian companies. According to him, Bulgaria's expertise and long-term experience in the operation of nuclear power plants make it a safe and reliable partner in the implementation of such large-scale projects".

The engineering contract for the construction of the two new units was signed in November 2024. During the discussions, the two sides agreed on the terms of its extension "so that work on the project is not interrupted".

Traykov, who is energy ministry as part of the caretaker government in place ahead of elections this weekend, was reported by the ministry to have said "we have traumatic experience from other similar projects, where endless extension and lack of control over the price ultimately lead to failure" and emphasised "the need for the new capacities at the Kozloduy NPP to be built at fixed prices".

Background

Kozloduy units 1-4 were VVER-440 models which the European Commission classified as non-upgradeable and Bulgaria agreed to close them during negotiations to join the European Union in 2007. Units 5 and 6 feature VVER-1000 reactors that were connected to the grid in 1987 and 1991, respectively. Both units have been through refurbishment and life-extension programmes to enable extension of operation from 30 to 60 years. The country's two operable reactors generate about one-third of its electricity.

Westinghouse's AP1000 has been selected as the technology for the two proposed new units and in November 2024 Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Westinghouse and Kozloduy NPP-New Build signed an engineering contract for the new capacity, with ministers saying that signing the contract meant that schedule and finance details would be firmed up for the new capacity. The Ministry of Energy and the USA's Citi bank agreed on a partnership in July last year to secure funding for the construction of the new units, and site location applications were submitted.

In December Kozloduy NPP-New Build EAD and a consortium comprising Laurentis Energy Partners, its subsidiary Canadian Nuclear Partners SA (CNPSA) and BWXT Canada, signed an owner’s engineer contract to advance the two new AP1000 units.

How the two new units could look at Kozloduy (Image: Westinghouse)

The aim is for the first new Westinghouse AP1000 unit - unit 7 at Kozloduy - to be operational in 2035 and the second one - unit 8 - to be operational in 2037. The 2,300 MWe capacity of the two new units would exceed the 1,760 MWe capacity of the closed first four units. The Bulgarian government has also said that further units will be needed to replace units 5 and 6 by 2050.  It has also been considering the deployment of small modular reactors in the country.

Grohnde nuclear fuel transfer completed

Wednesday, 15 April 2026

All the used nuclear fuel assemblies in the storage pool at Germany's Grohnde nuclear power plant have been transferred to an on-site interim storage facility, PreussenElektra announced.
 

(Image: PreussenElektra)

Grohnde was shut down on 31 December 2021. PreussenElektra - a subsidiary of EOn Group - applied for approval to decommission and dismantle the 1,360 MWe pressurised water reactor in October 2017. In December 2023, the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate Protection issued the first decommissioning and dismantling permit to PreussenElektra for the Grohnde plant, with dismantling work beginning in the following month.

To achieve fuel-free status, a total of 694 fuel assemblies have been transferred from the plant's storage pool into CASTOR used fuel storage casks since 2023.

On 7 April, the last CASTOR container was successfully loaded, removed from the reactor building, and transferred to the Grohnde interim storage facility for used fuel elements.

"This means that the radioactive core of the plant has been completely removed – and with it, over 99% of the radioactivity," PreussenElektra said.

Plant manager Jörg Bornemann said: "The elimination of nuclear fuel is an important milestone in the decommissioning of our plant. It forms the basis for further technical and organisational adjustments. Now we can shut down and dismantle further systems and reduce staffing levels. Their valuable expertise is urgently needed elsewhere – for example, for the dismantling of the reactor pressure vessel internals, which will begin at the end of this year."

PreussenElektra noted that in order to carry out the fuel transfer operation, various components and plant parts had to first be removed from the area of ​​the emptied used fuel pool to create the necessary storage, handling, dismantling, and packaging areas. The newly constructed transport preparation hall is  now available for receiving the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste from the decommissioning process. The Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate Protection granted the necessary permit for the storage of radioactive waste and residues at the beginning of April.

Decommissioning of the Grohnde plant is scheduled for completion by 2039. Afterwards, the plant site will be available for redevelopment. About 500 people are currently employed at the site.

PreussenElektra is responsible for the decommissioning of eight nuclear power plants in Germany. Isar 2 was the last of the PreussenElektra plants to cease operations on 15 April 2023. The Brokdorf and Grohnde plants were shut down on 31 December 2021. With the already decommissioned Isar 1, Stade, Unterweser and Würgassen plants, all of PreussenElektra's nuclear facilities are now in various phases of decommissioning and dismantling. The company's goal is to dismantle its power plant fleet by 2040.

Outer dome installed at Changjiang unit 4

Wednesday, 15 April 2026

The outer steel dome has been installed at unit 4 of the Changjiang nuclear power plant in China's Hainan province, China National Nuclear Corporation has announced.
 

(Image: China Huaneng)

The dome - measuring 52 metres in diameter, 12 metres in height and weighing about 415 tonnes - was hoisted into place on top of the containment building using a 4,000-tonne crawler crane on 13 April. The process of raising the outer dome into position took two hours.

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said the installation of the outer dome of unit 4 "marks the entry of the second phase of the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant civil construction project into the final stage".

(Image: CNNC)

The Hualong One reactor design features a double-layered containment building, the main function of which is to ensure the integrity and leak tightness of the reactor building, and it plays a key role in the containment of radioactive substances.

Construction of the unit is being undertaken by CNNC subsidiary CNNC 22nd Engineering Co Ltd. "This installation was the result of a series of systematic innovations and collaborative efforts in the fields of technology and management," CNNC said. "The CNNC 22nd Engineering Co Ltd project team adopted several groundbreaking measures to build a comprehensive support system for the installation task."

(Image: CNNC)

The entire hoisting process utilised 3D modeling technology, CNNC noted. A full-size digital model of the outer dome was constructed in advance, allowing for precise simulation and collision detection of the hoisting path and key connection points, thus mitigating potential risks from the outset. Based on the 3D model, multi-level technical briefings and construction simulations were conducted, providing solid technical support for the successful one-time hoisting of the outer dome.

Two Hualong One reactors are being constructed in the second phase of the Changjiang plant. First concrete was poured for the base slab of unit 3's nuclear island in March 2021, with that of unit 4 being poured in the December of that year. Changjiang Phase II - units 3 and 4 - represents a total estimated investment of CNY40 billion (USD5.9 billion), according to China Huaneng, which holds a 51% share in the project. The construction period is expected to be 60 months. Both units are scheduled to be fully operational in early 2027.

(Image: CNNC)

"After completion, the annual power generation [by Changjiang units 3 and 4] will reach 18 billion kilowatt-hours, which is equivalent to saving 6.326 million tonnes of coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 11.68 million tonnes per year," China Huaneng said.

The Changjiang nuclear site is already home to two operating CNP-600 pressurised water reactors (PWRs) - Changjiang 1 and 2 - which entered commercial operation in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In 2021, CNNC also began construction of a demonstration ACP100 small modular reactor at the site. The multi-purpose 125 MWe PWR - also referred to as the Linglong One - is designed for electricity production, heating, steam production or seawater desalination. It is currently undergoing pre-commissioning tests.

The island province of Hainan is China's southernmost point. Energy policies published in 2019 by Hainan Province Development and Reform Commission specify that nuclear power will become the primary source of electricity for the island, which has a population of close to 10 million.