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Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, was also at the ceremony. He said that at a time of growing energy security and decarbonisation challenges, projects like El Dabaa show the important role nuclear power can play in delivering reliable, low-carbon energy. The RPV is the core component of the reactor system at a nuclear plant. It houses the reactor core, where the controlled nuclear fission chain reaction takes place.

The deal is expected to provide a boost to Australia’s mining industry while helping India meet the target of installing 100 GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2047, an ambitious target from around 7.7 GW today. New Delhi has said its next step on the road to the 100 GW target is to hit 22 GW of nuclear power by 2032. India operates 23 commercial nuclear reactors and has eight under construction.

“A coordinated trilateral approach positions American, Japanese, and Korean firms to provide partners in the region with more competitive alternatives to meet their growing energy demands and to uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and non-proliferation as new reactor technology increasingly comes online,” it said.

The government approved plans by EDF to extend its life. The government has said that a “golden age of nuclear” will help the UK meet the growing need for electricity to power electric vehicles, low-carbon heating and AI datacentres while keeping its climate commitments intact.

Construction of Unit 2 began in October 2020. Units 1 and 3 have been under construction since December 2019 and June 2025. Unit 1 reached first criticality on 3 February and was connected to the grid on 13 February. It began commercial operation on 19 April. The Hualong One, also known as the HPR1000, is a domestically developed pressurised water reactor that combines features from China National Nuclear Corporation’s ACP1000 and CGN’s ACPR1000+ designs.

Construction began in December 2025 with pouring first concrete for the nuclear island foundation slab. CNNPN said the first containment ring is the largest and heaviest of six main steel containment vessel rings, also called tiers. It is made from four layers of steel plates and weighs about 1,029 tonnes. Four CAP1000 units are planned at the Lufeng site. Construction of Lufeng-1 began in February 2025 and of Lufeng-2 in December 2025.

Each independently assessed the LDR-50 reactor concept against their respective national regulatory frameworks. Steady Energy said the review was not part of a formal licensing process and does not constitute regulatory approval or a licensing decision in any of the participating countries. The assessment was based on LDR-50 design documentation first made available in early 2025 together with STUK’s early-stage concept assessment completed in the summer of 2025.

Electricity demand surging, driven by industrial users and power-hungry data centres Construction of the Zhangzhou nuclear power station in China. Courtesy CNEA. Global nuclear capacity is set to climb 44% over the next decade after years of tepid growth, spurred by growing demand for electricity and aggressive efforts to build reactors in China and India. Want to know more? Sign up.

Work is part of nuclear decommissioning ‘megaproject’ for Soviet-era plants The core of one of the reactors at the Ignalina nuclear power station. Courtesy Astra. Altra has launched a €400m ($457m) international tender Want to know more? Sign up.

Group set up to support rollout of small modular reactors across bloc European Commission headquarters in Brussels. Courtesy Emdee/Creative Commons 4.0 Licence. The European Commission has opened a second call for projects under the European Industrial Alliance on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Use this content Tags European Commission Europe European Industrial Alliance on Small Modular Reactors Small Modular Reactors SMRs Most popular Related