The U.S. has agreed to build and operate commercial nuclear power plants in Saudi Arabia, a deal conditioned by President Trump on Saudi normalization with Israel. The agreement prohibits reprocessing American nuclear material for weapons but lacks restrictions on other countries' nuclear fuel, raising concerns in Israel and the broader Middle East.
The Trump administration signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, allowing US companies to operate commercial nuclear power plants there. The deal, worth billions, lacks "gold standard" nonproliferation provisions, raising congressional and expert concerns about potential weapons development.
Russian specialists, led by Ilya Chekh of the Borders of Science research and technical guild, have developed small modular nuclear reactors (170 MW) for deep space exploration, orbital launches, and Arctic research, with potential cooperation with China and the US.
A major AI datacentre complex in Scotland, promised to be powered by on-site renewables, has misrepresented its energy plans. Documents reveal developers and the government were aware of power provision issues, raising doubts about the UK's AI infrastructure ambitions.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev stated that the US's active development of low-power nuclear power plants validates Rosatom's strategy and confirms the accelerated growth of nuclear generation globally. He congratulated US colleagues on bringing microreactors to physical production after decades.
A consortium led by Polish billionaire Michał Sołowow plans to build 14 small modular nuclear reactors across three UK sites, including Gloucestershire. The £35bn private capital project aims to power 8m homes and potentially datacentres, with GE Vernova and Hitachi providing design. The consortium seeks a government support contract and aims for electricity generation by 2034.
A leak of 208 kilograms of heavy water occurred at South Korea's Wolsong-4 nuclear reactor in Gyeongju earlier this week. Nuclear safety officials confirmed no radiation leak and stated the water did not escape the facility. The reactor was shut down for regular inspection at the time.
India has launched a pilot plant producing 'pink hydrogen' using heat from a nuclear reactor via the copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle, offering a continuous, carbon-free alternative to grid electricity-powered electrolysis and natural gas reforming for heavy industry.
Under a Trump-era initiative, US companies are rapidly building experimental nuclear reactors, with two already achieving 'criticality.' The program, which significantly cut regulations, aims for three reactors by July 4, 2026. While proponents hail the speed, critics warn of compromised safety.
The Trump administration is allocating $17.5 billion to accelerate the development of 10 new large nuclear reactors, aiming to meet the surging electricity demand from data centers. The initiative seeks to speed up construction timelines and lower costs compared to previous projects.
The Energy Department will provide $17.5 billion in loans to accelerate the deployment of 10 large nuclear reactors across the U.S. The funding supports five projects using Westinghouse's AP1000 design, aiming to power over 800,000 homes each.
Gyeongbuk Province is emerging as a nuclear energy hub with 13 operating reactors and plans for 4 more, including 2 new large-scale reactors in Yeongdeok. The province hosts KHNP headquarters and a radioactive waste disposal site, aiming to leverage stable power for industries like steel and data centers, while advocating for differentiated electricity rates.
South Korea's state-run KHNP has chosen Yeongdeok for two new large nuclear reactors (2.8GW) and Gijang for a small modular reactor (0.7GW), aiming for completion by 2038. This reverses a previous stance against new nuclear construction, driven by rising power demand from AI and clean energy goals.
Rolls-Royce SMR has won a contract to build three Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) on Sweden's west coast, a deal hailed by the UK government as a major export win and a breakthrough for British nuclear technology. The project aims to power industries and households in southern Sweden.
The US government disclosed 3,611 AI use cases, a 70% increase since the Biden administration. Concerns are raised over AI's role in sensitive government functions, lack of transparency, and potential for misuse, despite potential benefits.
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to replace up to 5 nuclear reactors by the 2040s and a maximum of 14 by the 2050s. This is the first specific numerical target set by the government since the Fukushima Daiichi accident, aiming to encourage investment and workforce development in the nuclear industry.
A drone strike on Sunday cut off external power to reactor no 3 at the UAE's Barakah nuclear plant for 24 hours, forcing reliance on emergency generators. The UAE attributed the attack to a pro-Iranian proxy group originating from Iraq, raising global concerns about nuclear safety during wartime.
Russia plans to build nine fast-neutron nuclear reactors by 2042 as part of its General Plan for Electric Power Facilities. Rosatom's First Deputy Director General, Alexander Lokshin, stated this at the IAEA FR-26 conference in Beijing, emphasizing the strategic importance of fast reactors for nuclear energy's long-term existence and spent fuel management.
A Russian cargo ship, Ursa Major, sank in the Mediterranean in December 2024, carrying components for two submarine nuclear reactors likely destined for North Korea. Spanish investigators suggest it may have been deliberately sunk by a Western military to prevent the technology transfer.
Construction has begun on Terra Power's advanced nuclear reactor in Wyoming, aiming to meet surging energy demand from AI data centers. The project, a collaboration between private companies and the government, faces scrutiny over environmental impact and taxpayer funding.
China has developed the world’s first 10-megawatt vehicle-mounted nuclear power unit, a truck-transportable reactor capable of powering a medium-sized AI data centre. The prototype, developed by the Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology at the Hefei Institute of Physical Science, offers decades of operational lifespan without recharging and can provide power for remote regions, islands, ships, space systems, and emergency backup.
X-energy began trading Friday in the largest nuclear public offering on record, raising over $1B at $23/share (above $16-19 range). Shares closed 27% higher at $29.20. The company’s xe-100 is an 80MW high-temperature gas-cooled reactor scalable to 960MW, targeting industrial applications. Despite no construction started, it has an 11GW order pipeline with Amazon, Dow and Centrica.
X-energy began trading Friday after pricing its IPO at $23 per share, above its initial $16-$19 range, raising over $1 billion in the largest nuclear public offering on record. Shares closed 26% higher. The company's xe-100 is an 80-megawatt high-temperature gas-cooled reactor scalable to 960 megawatts, with applications in industrial decarbonization. The company has an order pipeline of 11+ gigawatts from partners including Amazon, Dow and Centrica.
X-energy began trading Friday after pricing its IPO at $23 per share, above the initial $16-$19 range, opening at $30.11. The stock closed 34% higher, making it the largest nuclear public offering on record. The company raised over $1 billion with its xe-100 reactor technology—a 80MW high-temperature gas-cooled reactor scalable to 960MW—targeting industrial applications and holding an order pipeline exceeding 11 gigawatts from partners including Amazon, Dow and Centrica.
